Bottled Chaos
by Moonlit Masterpiece
Summary: Anne Walker was used to being fresh meat in high school. August Anderson was used to playing care-taker to a broken best friend. But when their two worlds collide a bottle is broken and a world of love and hurt and chaos ensues.  AU FIC. Chapter 24 up!
1. Clear the Area

_**A/N: **_Hello everyone! It's been awhile since I've posted anything! Well this is a brand new AU (I'm hoping that stands for Alternate Universe) Fic!

**Please enjoy**!

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_**Clear the Area**_

The sun glared menacingly through the open window, coaxing nine hung-over teenagers from their alcohol induced comas. It had been a night to remember, but with the amount of marijuana being passed around it was doubtful that anyone would be doing much remembering. From beneath a mountain of pillows and blankets a hand pushed through a faded blue comforter seeking fresh air as a zombie might push through the earth's surface for the first time of his afterlife.

"Cory," a sleep-thick voice inquired.

The hand dragged the heavy blue comforter away to reveal a mop of thick brown hair and closed eyes under which deep purple circles took up residence, all this belonging to a groggy, half dressed teenaged boy. He ran his hands over his face, hoping beyond hope that he could somehow rub away his exhaustion and perhaps some of the previous night.

"Cory," he mumbled again, a bit louder this time.

His hand groped around until he met with the smooth skin of a flat stomach but he had the feeling that it wasn't the one that he was looking for. There was something lacking from that skin. "Corrine?"

"S'not me, babe," a voice slurred from his other side.

Rolling around, his unfocused brown eyes fluttered open to meet with the nothingness that challenged him to duel every morning. He propped himself up on his elbows and turned towards the girl laying beside him. She smiled at him, her bottle green eyes catching the light like broken glass.

"What the hell did you do to me," he groaned, his lips curling into a half smile. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying to push away the headache that was pounding behind his skull. He felt seasick.

"It's called Vodka, August," she said serenely, her voice a smoky rasp. "A _lot _of Vodka."

She stood to her feet, long, thin legs bare, adorned in no more that panties and a thin cami. She stumbled slightly, her head spinning laps around the sun. A smile spread across her fine featured face, nimble fingers massaging her scalp, rippling the gold-brown hair that fell to her hips.

"Oh, Aug, you really should have taken a hit of that MJ last night, it was a blast," she chuckled, twirling in a small circle before picking out a beaten path between hibernating bodies. She tousled his already mussed hair as she passed.

"You're going to die young if you keep this up," he muttered, listening as her slapping footsteps grew distant.

"I plan to, baby."

Auggie frowned at her response but more so at the nonchalance of her tone. She was content with her words and that disturbed him. He pushed up from the ground, taking a moment to steady his spinning head before taking tentative steps toward the short hallway, afraid of tripping over an unseen, half dazed lump of teenager. Plenty of times had he been to this house, but surely his knowledge was limited by a fog of intoxication. But he knew where the important places were; the bathroom, the kitchen, the small bedroom with the soft, quiet bed. Oh to be between sheets.

"Aha! I've found our stuff," she chirped cheerily.

He followed the ghost of her voice until his outreached hand met with the wall that led to the kitchen, all the while wondering how she could be so cheery after a night like last. Traipsing lightly, she took his arm and pulled him into the kitchen, her bright green eyes adding a shock of color to the white wash of early morning light. The sound of a barstool dragging across linoleum was enough to make Auggie wince, Cory laughed as she brought his hand to rest on the seat.

"So I really did you in this time, huh," she smirked as she dug around in the fridge. She was so hungry.

"Did you mean it," he asked lightly.

From the moment he said it, from the moment he opened his mouth, he wished that he hadn't said anything at all. An all consuming silence descended on the room. It lasted only for the briefest of moments, but it was long enough for him to hear her take a measured breath. She was throwing up her defenses, clearing the area of her emotions.

"How is it that you look so damn sexy the morning after," a deep voice said.

Corrine looked up to see a tall shirtless blonde with a washboard stomach. He smiled darkly at her through sleep heavy eyes, the memories of their previous night flashing behind his irises.

"Can't say the same for you, Conrad, you look like hell hit you in the face," Corrine smiled sweetly, running her fingers lightly over his stomach before flitting away.

Auggie rolled his eyes as the tall boy slapped him on the back and took the stool beside him. Corrine wasn't the usual catch for Conrad; she wasn't a cheerleader, she wasn't blonde, the most she did with her hair was brush it and she was smart as hell, yet the quarterback couldn't keep his filthy fingers off her. She drove boys wild and that drove August nuts.

"Holy shit!" She yelled out of nowhere. It was so sudden that both boys nearly fell off of their stools.

"What? What's wrong," Auggie asked, his brow furrowed as she threw, what he assumed to be, his clothes at him.

Though he was fully expecting her to announce that she had found a dead body in the cabinet or a hickey on her neck, he was not expecting these words to fly from her mouth:

"Fuck, Auggie! We're going to be late for school! Hurry up and get dressed!"

xXx

Anne Catherine Walker took the stairs two at a time, her heart racing with the usual excitement that came with starting at a new school. Most would shrivel in their beds, resisting the constant change that was the life of an Army Brat, but Annie embraced it. New situations were something that she handled well and she took pride in that.

"Good morning, Mother," she smiled brightly as she entered the kitchen, the smells of eggs and bacon whirling about her head.

"Oh sweetheart, you look beautiful, those jeans fit you just right," her mother smiled from her designated spot at the stove.

"Really," Annie said, wrinkling her nose in disbelief, "I thought they were a bit tight..."

"Is that such a bad thing," her mother question, her warm brown eyes meeting with her daughter's identical ones as she slid the plate of mouth watering breakfast food before her youngest child.

Annie rolled her eyes, throwing back her blonde hair as she dug into her food. She couldn't help but notice how empty the table seemed that morning, with her father at work and her sister Danielle at school in California, or at least Danielle said that's why she decided to stay but Annie knew it was more because of her boyfriend, Michael Brooks. She missed her family being together, the morning bustle and arguments, the dinner table talks, and weekend movies and game nights.

Looking around the kitchen, she realized how alien it all seemed. Then again, she wasn't sure where home was exactly, they had never stayed in one place for too long. Perhaps, she thought, she was the alien. Yes, that seemed more appropriate.

"Oh! Is that the time," she exclaimed around a mouthful of food. "I'm going to be late for school!"

Jumping from her seat, she haphazardly dumped her dishes in the sink and grabbed her backpack from the table. After giving her mother a hasty kiss on the cheek, she took a deep breath and went for the door.

"Sweetie," her mother called out to her. She turned to see her mom smiling teary eyed, knowing that next year her last daughter would be off to college in some foreign place, "Have a great first day, alright?"

"Of course, mom," Annie smiled, stepping out into unknown territory.

xXx

As soon as her foot crossed the threshold of New Trier Township High School, Annie Walker felt dizzy with excitement. The glass, brick, and metal structure was buzzing with life. Students crowded the halls hastily trying to get to classes while stopping to talk to their friends as teachers with keen eyes made sure everyone was on their best behavior.

She looked down for the fiftieth time at the locker number handwritten at the very top of her school map, 33. She smiled to her self, the number at her old school had been 33 and at that locker she had met him. But she didn't want to think of him at the moment. It would ruin her day.

As she rounded the corner that lead to the locker hall, a tall girl hit her shoulder so hard that they were forced to look at one another. Instead of apologizing, the girl gave Annie a smile and a green-eyed wink before disappearing into the crowd. Annie watched with jealous awe at the girl's elegant gait, her hair shimmering beneath the florescent lights like captured sunlight, her legs long and thin in low slung denim and black cowboy boots that looked as though she had walked the perimeter of Texas.

But it wasn't the girl's clothing that Annie envied, it was the confidence she adorned.

With a huff Annie turned back towards the hallway, only to smack painfully into a recently opened locker door.

"Ouch!" She yelped as her vision blurred from the injury to her nose.

"Oh Jesus," a voice said as a long fingered hand slammed the door shut, "I am so sorry! I didn't realize you were there!"

As she blinked her vision clear, Annie found herself face-to-face with a beautiful boy. His hair was a messy, sun kissed-brown, his warm amber eyes staring over her head. She turned briefly to find what he was looking at but there was nothing.

"Are you alright," he asked, clearly concerned.

"Oh yes, I'm fine," she smiled, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. He smiled, his eyes locking onto her mouth, it was then that she noticed the red/white cane that was propped against his shoulder. "Oh… I'm uh- I'm Annie Walker, by the way."

"I'm Auggie," he smiled, holding out his hand to shake, "Auggie Anderson."


	2. A Toast, Of Sorts

**A/N: **Though it has taken me far too long I finally have finished this chapter! This is last 'introductory' type of chapter that shall be written for this story! The next one is when the ball starts rolling. I haven't exactly figured out the storyline, it has a mind of its own and is taking me to places I hadn't planned on. Corrine is a character with a lot of opinions and emotions that I hadn't expected but hey that's the joy of writing right?

So there is no Musical Scavenge this chapter, I wrote most of this while I was sick so I didn't feel like finding song. Oops. But the next chapter shall have another one!

Our winners for this past Scavenge were:  
**EtherealDemon**  
**Mag721  
**Congrats! You two have awesome musical skills!

Just so all of you know, the artist was Imogen Heap, if you've never heard of her you should really check out her music, she's a magnificent artist!

Thank you to all those who have read and reviewed! I love to hear your thoughts and opinions so keep 'em comin'!  
Happy reading!

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**A Toast, Of Sorts**

A symphony of life echoed through the cement halls of New Trier High; lockers slamming, rubber soles squeaking, heels clacking, voices shouting, whispering, laughing. August Anderson pinched his nose and shut his eyes against the incessant noise, regretting the hangover that loomed over his head like Charlie Brown's storm cloud. He made a firmly worded mental note to never get that drunk ever again. Or at least not on a school night. Were it not for the immense need of the four senses still in his possession, he would have pulled his headphones from his neck to his ears, drowning out the calamity of high school with the smooth notes of Mingus.

"Ruff night?"

The soft voice shook him from his thoughts, reminding him that he wasn't alone walking the halls. It seemed only right, he thought, to escort the girl to class after possibly giving her a mild concussion. Guilt bubbled beneath his hazed mind, he felt badly for forgetting about her but she had been so quiet beside him. It was too easy to forget about what he couldn't see and hear. He could smell her, however, and she smelled exquisite.

"I've had worse," he smiled, "Jo Malone Grapefruit?"

If Auggie knew anything it was a lady's scent.

"Oh, am I wearing too much perfume," she asked, he could hear the slight pout in her voice.

"No, not at all, very subtle," Auggie said in thoughtful seriousness as they rounded a corner, "Most girls around here smell like the local Bath & Body Works exploded."

Annie's giggle made him smile. When his cane met with empty airspace he paused, his hand snaking up the wall to read the small Braille plaque beneath the painted room number, an afterthought of the school administrators. He couldn't blame them though, he hadn't even contemplated the little raised signs until he returned to school without the use of his eyes.

"And this is where we part," he said.

"Thank you so much," Annie smiled.

"The pleasure is all mine, and if you need anything don't hesitate to ask."

"Definitely," she answered.

Warmth ran down Auggie's spine as Annie's petite hand pressed into his arm before she retreated into her classroom. Auggie grinned, feeling the echo of Annie's fingers on his arm, until the warning bell rang, that is. It wagged its mighty tongue like a beast from the time of Hercules, shattering Auggie's skull into a million pieces.

"Ugh. It's going to be a long day," he muttered.

xXx

Annie quickly took a seat at the back of the classroom, just one row from the wall. She didn't particularly mind the attention that came with being a newcomer, but it was incredibly hard to pay attention with twenty sets of eyes on your back. Just as Annie started to get settled, a shadow loomed over her desk, the smell of toothpaste, musk and spicy cologne coaxing her to look up.

"You must be new here," a smiling boy said from above her, his teeth ultra bright against his deep russet skin, "I'm Jai Wilcox."

"Nice to meet you Jai, I'm Annie," she said, realizing for the first time how strange it was to hear her name over again so many times in one day.

"Well, Annie, may I say that that color looks amazing on you," he said with a wink, his voice the texture of velvet.

Annie could feel blood rush to her cheeks, staining her fair complexion pink. Briefly she looked down to her royal blue, boat neck sweater. Her grandmother always told her that blue was her color.

"Oh, thanks," she smirked, his not-so-subtle flirting unable to break through her armor.

"I'm only speaking the truth. And should you ever like a tour of the school, just let me know," he lightly placed his hand on her shoulder before going to his own desk a few rows in front of her, the feel of his hot touch lingering on her skin.

"Beware the snake charmer," said a smooth, sultry voice. She turned to see the girl with the well-worn cowboy boots sitting a row back and to the left. The girl waved at her by way of wiggling her fingers, her bottle green eyes glinting beneath the fluorescent lighting. "He'll play music for you all day and night, but once the music is over you'll be trapped in that basket forever."

"What do you mean," Annie asked curiously, sitting sideways in her seat to better talk to the mysterious girl.

"He's the school's man-whore, don't let him make you one of his bitches," she winked, "I'm Corrine."

"Annie Walker," she responded, still intrigued, "Sounds like you're speaking from experience?"

"Oh no," Corrine laughed, it was a nice sound, genuine, "But I've known him long enough to see the path of destruction he leaves in his wake."

"Oh, I know how that is," Annie scoffed.

As Jai turned in his seat to glance at her, Annie pretended not to notice. She didn't need another guy in her life that would end up like the last one. She didn't need another guy in her life like Ben Mercer.

xXx

Auggie was late to lunch by habit and that was exactly the way he liked it. By the time he was headed to the cafeteria most kids were already there or in their classrooms, leaving the halls all but empty. There were no eyes burning on his back, no boy scouts trying to escort him across the hall, no book bags or feet to trip over. Plus he was free to listen to Mingus on his iPod, lazily clearing the area before him with wide sweeps of his cane, occasionally hitting a wall locker much too hard but there was no one there to give a damn.

It felt good to be careless with his own person, he was tired of being cautious of taking his time of people guiding him slowly because they assume he can't go faster. There were times that he just wanted to run, no cane no guide, just run. But his own body acted as his prison. He let out a huge breath of air, trying to clear his mind of these frustrating thoughts. Impossible.

Immediately he stopped as his cane connected with something supple, he wasn't sure what it was, but from the breathing and shoes dragging across the floor he knew someone was there.

"Sorry," he muttered, the smell of grapefruit tickling his nose. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Annie?"

"Hey Auggie," she answered, her voice sounding small. "You recognized me?"

"Of course, I know a pretty girl when I see one," he grinned as she gave a soft chuckle, then pulled his headphones down around his neck. "You alright?"

"Ugh."

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't help but smirk at her response, he knew what a bad first day felt like. Pulling his cane upright, he placed both his hands atop the grip, relaxing some of his weight onto it.

"That bad huh?"

"You have no idea," she sighed. He noticed that her voice was coming from somewhere close to the floor and a bang on metal that he assumed was her head meeting a locker (again). "I think I should receive an award or something."

"Is this your lunch hour," he asked.

"Oh, don't even get me started on lunch," she began with such vehemence that Auggie had to choke down laughter, "They won't let me use my student card because they say it isn't valid and I only had enough cash to buy this banana… On top of that I have more homework due by Monday than I've ever accumulated in a week and I have nothing to dress out in for gym. My cell phone is dead, I can't find my keys…"

As Annie trailed off, Auggie could have sworn he heard her voice crack. She was right, she should get an award for worst day of the year.

"Holy shit," he said by way of agreement, "Sounds like you could use a slice of grease that we at New Trier like to call pizza. My treat?"

"Normally I would refuse but my hunger has reached proportions that haven't yet learned etiquette," she said seriously.

Auggie offered her a hand and felt her weight as she pulled herself off the ground.

"I really can't tell you how much I appreciate this and I promise you that I'll pay you back tomorrow," she said with a certain reverence to her tone. "You are a god among men."

"That's what they tell me," he smiled and offered Annie his elbow and she looped her arm with his, "And now, Miss Walker, to our banquet."

xXx

By the time fifteen minutes had passed, Annie felt like a different person and her biggest worry at the moment was trying to remember the names of everyone at her table. After Auggie escorted her through the line and paid via his student credit, they weaved their way to his usual table. There were four people already around the circular table and out of those four, Annie recognized one. Corrine.

Once the table caught sight of them, there was a chorus of "Auggie!" "Aug man!" "Dude!" "Where ya been?" and other overly loud exclamations, but she noticed that he was smiling bigger than she'd seen from him, shaking his head at the raucous crowd.

"Alright, guys. Alright," he said in an attempt to calm them down, "This is Annie and though I know it goes against your nature, I'd like you to try and be gentlemen."

Annie gave a small wave and the table fell silent, three sets of wide eyes stared at her in what seemed to be wonderment. Corrine turned around in her seat and gave Annie a reassuring wink.

"Well hello Annie," a blonde boy said, his light blue eyes smiling at Annie, "Come have a seat, I'm Conrad."

"I'm Stu," piped a thin dark skinned boy, he waved casually.

"And silent wonder over here is Jamie," Corrine said in her smooth voice. The boy named Jamie looked like a smaller replica of Auggie and she knew immediately that they were brothers.

Corrine reached out and took Auggie by the hand, leading him to the bench seat beside her. Annie couldn't help but wonder if they were together. Not that she was jealous, of course.

"It's nice to meet all of you," Annie smiled, taking a seat on the bench beside Conrad.

"Okay, now that introductions have been made, we must get to our first order of business," Corrine announced, using her Strawberry Fanta can as a gavel, somehow it didn't surprised Annie to see that everyone's eyes were trained on her. "There is a party tomorrow night on the shore."

"Isn't it a little cold to have a party on the beach?" Annie asked as she shoved her slice of pizza into her mouth. Everyone at the table chuckled.

"It's never too cold to party on the beach," Auggie answered matter-of-factly.

"Sweaters, a bon fire, alcohol to keep our bellies warm, there's nothing better," Corrine's voice, warm and soft as a summer breeze, reminisced, her green eyes drooping with pleasure at the thought. "So, who's in?"

"You had me at party," Conrad winked at Corrine as he shook his blonde hair out of his eyes.

"Okay, I'm not missing this one," the dark skinned boy, Stu, said seriously, "I was forced to miss last night's excursions due to the maternal force that is my mother, but there is no amount of estrogen that can keep me at home on a Friday night!"

"Oh yes there is, my friend," Conrad laughed, "That's how babies are made!"

"I know that's right," Stu smiled hugely, high-five-ing Conrad with enthusiasm.

"How about you," Corrine asked, nudging Auggie in the side.

"Hmm, I'm there," a smile crawled across his face, before growing serious again, "It's probably best if one of you drives though."

Annie's eyes grew wide at his statement, a slight blush rushing to her cheeks. Everyone was silent for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"You got it, babe," Corrine said through her laughter, "Jamie baby, what about you? You going to join us this time?"

The boy looked at Corrine seriously for a few moments, though he looked like a carbon copy of Auggie, his coloring was completely different. His eyes were a light green, not as deeply green as Corrine's but green all the same, his hair a honey colored blonde. He gave a small half smile and mumbled something that made everyone at the table lean in to try and catch a few words. All except Auggie, that is.

"Jamie," he said, looking almost directly at the younger boy, "At a decibel that someone other than myself and the dog down the street can hear, please?"

"Yea, alright, I'll go," he answered not much louder than before, he got a few pats on the back and of couple of 'whoops' for his answer. Annie loved how enthusiastic this group was about everything, it made all her previous concerns seem so far away.

"Annie," Corrine smiled, "How 'bout you?"

It was once again her turn to be the spectacle, all eyes turned on her, Auggie's head tilted in her direction.

"Count me in," she smiled, she would make a mark on this town if it was the last thing she did.

Through the celebratory banter, Corrine raised her Fanta can, tapping it with a plastic fork as though about to make a toast, once everyone quieted she began.

"I make a toast to our newest member Annie Walker, may her corruption be as sweet as cranberry vodka and to drunken Friday nights and the epiphanies they may bring," she exclaimed. They all saluted their drinks then, water bottles, Capri Suns and coke cans, christening the beginning of something strangely and unexpectedly beautiful.

* * *

There you have it.  
In the next chapter we will be partying at the beach.  
Prepare yourselves!  
Let me know what you thought!


	3. Almost Lovers

**A/N: **This chapter isn't what I saw at first, but I'm glad it changed my mind. I truly hope you enjoy it and I would honestly LOVE it if you let me know your feelings on it! Much of this was written while listening to the fantastic group _Lost in the Trees _if you have never heard of them you should look them up and witness the wonderment they bring.

The title of this chapter is inspired by the song _Almost Lover _(Can you tell me the artist?) and it came when I was completely unispired to write this, I'm glad I happened upon hearing it, or perhaps it happened upon me.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Almost Lovers**

Annie was closer to throwing a fit than she had been since she was five years old, a hair pulling, teeth gritting, leg kicking tantrum. With her fingers knotted in her hair, she stared at her dismal reflection. Of all the clothes strewn about her floor, the ones she was wearing were certainly the worst. Throwing her hands up in exasperation, she fell backwards onto her bed, blowing out a huge breath of air as a steam engine would billow a scalding mist. Honestly, she thought, what in the hell did one wear to a beach party in October?

For the past two hours she had been at this, terrorizing her closet in search of something perfect. If only she had any idea of what that might be. A glance at her alarm clock told her that she had little more than an hour before Corrine came to call, whisking her off to a night of drunken delusions on the edge of the world. She hoped nobody would drown.

"You're trying too hard."

Annie bolted from her bed, so startled that her hands were shaking. Her eyes darted about the room, finally coming to rest on her open window outside of which Corrine was resting on a branch that belonged to the giant oak tree just outside. She looked as a lioness lounging after a long afternoon hunt.

"Jesus, Corrine! You scared me to death," Annie breathed.

"You look okay to me," Corrine winked as she gracefully slithered into Annie's bedroom.

"I have a front door, for future reference," Annie rolled her eyes, but there were hints of a smirk on her lips.

"Where's the fun in that," Corrine replied, "Anyways, I'm here to rescue you from a fashion faux pas. In short, I'll choose for you."

Without waiting for a response, Corrine pranced to Annie's closet and began riffling through. Annie watched her closely. There was something telling about her as though her image was wavering and Annie could catch glimpses of the girl trapped inside a brilliant costume.

"You look good in blue, as Jai pointed out and if Jai noticed, all of the boys will notice."

_Auggie won't notice, _Annie thought absentmindedly. She started then, as though the thought spooked her.

"God. Don't freak out so much Walker, you'll have wrinkles before you're thirty," Corrine scoffed, misreading Annie's reaction. She was quickly distracted though and soon began throwing an entire outfit at Annie to try on. "This is definitely perfect for you."

Once dressed, Annie looked at her reflection with a smatter of indignation. For two hours she had unsuccessfully searched for an outfit that worked and then this near stranger waltzed into her room and easily threw something together. It was annoying. But she had to admit that the dark wash jeans, white Toms, and three quarter length navy and white striped top worked seamlessly.

"How did you do that so fast," Annie asked, trying her hardest not to pout. Her mother was always telling her that it was unbecoming.

"I'm a professional sweetheart," Corrine said with empathy, "Trust me."

xXx

For the first time in her short seventeen years, Annie was afraid for her life. The car swerved and bucked, it whizzed through yellow lights and rolled around corners just centimeters from curbs and she was absolutely positive that before the night was over she would be dead in a ditch. It was like Corrine was daring the universe to put her in her place.

"Holy shit," Annie exclaimed, squeezing her eyes closed as the car came to a screeching halt, mere inches from destroying the back of a Mercedes. Eyes still closed, Annie groped for something (anything!) that would keep her in her seat because, with Corrine at the wheel, the seatbelt wasn't enough.

Corrine, who was haphazardly searching for a CD while simultaneously making sure the beer wasn't clanging too much and NOT keeping her eyes on the road, looked at Annie with something of a manic smile.

"Relax Barbie," Corrine said, laughing as Annie's eyes narrowed at the cursed moniker, "I'm in control. Oh! Here's that damn CD!"

She slid the CD into the disc player that sucked it in like a spaghetti noodle and as soon as the music slipped through the speakers, Corrine was all but dancing in her seat. Annie hung on for dear life.

xXx

The smells and sounds of the ocean wrapped about him like warm bath water, dousing him in comfort and familiarity. Cool, salt scented air rushed off of the deep velvet blue waters, carrying with it a gentle mist like a kiss from the ocean. Auggie smiled as it touched his face. He loved the ocean. Always had. There was something sacred about the atmosphere, about the roar of water or the way it made the earth soft, about the way the ocean and the sky seemed to meet in the distance, stretching as one into eternity.

A car door slammed and, after a few gritty footsteps, a gentle hand touched his arm.

"You ready," Jamie asked, waiting for his brother's hand to wrap securely around his elbow before heading down to the beach.

"I'm always ready," Auggie smiled. He listened to the voices wafting up from further down the beach, the wind dulling their volume and carrying them away, "Are there a lot of people here yet?"

"Nah, not to many," he answered, his eyes scanning over the dozen or so people on the shore. He smiled at his brother and in a voice much softer, he said. "Sunset's real nice tonight though."

"Yea?" A sad smile pulled at his mouth.

"Yea."

"Hey, hey," Corrine called, approaching them with swagger in her hips and two red-plastic cups in her hands. "You made it!"

"There were doubts," Auggie asked skeptically as he took the cup she touched to his hand. Bringing it to his nose, he breathed deeply and smiled. "Sam Adams. Somebody loves me."

"Well, with this old lady carting you around, one never knows," she laughed, tapping Jamie with her fist. He rolled his eyes. "And I love you. There's enough variety tonight to satisfy an Irish fraternity so get down there and help yourselves."

"I owe you my soul," Auggie said reverently after taking a swig of beer, "Oh hey, is Annie here?"

"Absolutely," she replied, dragging out the word, "Drove her here myself."

"Is she alive," Jamie muttered.

"Ha! Ha!" Corrine laughed triumphantly. "I knew I could get you to talk to me!"

"Cory," a voice called at a distance, "Cory come on! We're playing beer pong and we need our reining queen!"

"Aha! I'm on my way," she yelled back before returning her attention to the brothers, "My court has summoned me. I'll catch up with you two later!"

After giving Auggie a quick peck on the cheek, she tripped through the sand, barefoot Jamie noticed, to attend to her intoxicated subjects. Before they made it halfway to the bonfire at the center of the beach, Auggie had already downed half his beer. Jamie, taking notice, dumped his own untouched beer into his older brother's cup, tossing the empty vessel into the trash.

"Not in the mood," Auggie asked with amusement.

"We've already got a drunk queen and a well on his way king," Jamie began with a sigh, "I don't think we need a drunk court jester too."

"Well said, little brother. Well said."

xXx

"Oh!" The small crowd chorused as Annie's ping pong ball made a buoy impression in the half buried cup of beer. She threw up her arms in triumph, her teammates gave her claps on the back and impromptu hugs for the victory she brought them.

"Okay, okay," Conrad shouted over the raucous teenagers, being on the opposing team he had had more beer and it smeared his speech. "Who's sinking this one?"

He dug the last cup out of the ground and looked among his teammates. "Corrine!" They announced collectively before bursting into laughter. Everyone's cheeks were rosy, their blood rushing beneath their skin. The aforementioned walked towards Conrad to pay her team's penance, her hips swaying rhythmically.

"You guys are such lightweights," she said in mock annoyance before chugging the last cup of the game. Once the contents were drained another bout of cheers arose and Annie couldn't help but be impressed, Corrine had drained four cups already.

"Anyone up for another round," Conrad asked. A few of the audience decided to join in, but the majority who'd already played laughed and meandered away, their bodies in disagreement with their feet as to where they were going.

Corrine sauntered up to Annie, her eyes unnaturally bright with a mixture of dying sunlight and booze.

"Looks like you won this round, sweetheart," she said in a low voice close to Annie's ear, "But I'm still king of this hill."

She blew Annie a kiss and flashed a dangerous smile before falling into step with a group of her friends headed towards the parking area. Annie wasn't entirely sure how to feel about the other girl's reaction. She was as changing as the wind.

"Hey Annie!"

She spun to see who called her, her previous thoughts erased instantly. Jamie was waving at her from his seat by the bonfire, she smiled hugely, though not necessarily because of Jamie. Beside him sat August Anderson, his chestnut hair wind tossed, his beautiful face sharpened by the flickering firelight. The russet orange hoodie he wore looked warm, and as the chill wind kissed Annie's skin she wished she could crawl in with him. Oh how his flesh would feel against hers.

On her way to the inviting fire and company, her body began to sway with the music that slid smoothly from the car speakers of one of Corrine's beer pong teammates. He smiled when he saw her, giving a small nod. As she sat a little less than graceful beside Auggie on the makeshift driftwood bench, he smiled in her direction.

"I hear congratulations are in order," he said, his warm brown eyes sleepy, "My sources tell me that you just pwned at beer pong."

"I did, though I can't say Corrine was too happy about it." As she spoke, her honey brown eyes spied the oversized blue cooler that held the evening's spirits, like some twisted treasure chest, tempting and magical. "You need a refill?"

Her hand fell comfortably to his knee, a habit she'd nurtured during her time with Ben, her cheeks flushed with realization of her actions. Quickly she pulled away as though touching hot coals, Jamie's eyes were wide his mouth a half formed grin.

"Uh. Sam Adams," Auggie answered belatedly and a bit out of breath. It may have been from the fire's heat or the warmth of alcohol heating his blood but Annie could swear Auggie looked a bit flushed.

"Great! And Jamie?" Her words were rushed together and she stood awkwardly, ready to flee the scene of a brutally murdered conversation.

"Just Coke," he answered, his smile aggravatingly huge.

The icy cold glass beneath her fingertips felt like a rush of heaven on her too hot skin. Her skin felt swollen and tingly, her bones a slick, supple liquid. It had been months since she'd had her hands on this much booze and it felt magical, liberating. She took in the two brothers sitting side by side, Jamie was leaning in towards Auggie's ear, whispering something that made the latter boy smiled wickedly. She shook out her blonde hair and smiled, pretending not to notice the exchange.

"Drinks on me tonight, boys," she giggled, holding Auggie's drink out for him after handing Jamie his soda.

There was an awkward pause when he didn't respond and she blushed a brilliant pink. Her mind was too fogged to work out this problem herself, surely it would have been simple were she sober. The moment lasted only a split second before Jamie came to the rescue, taking the drink from Annie and lightly touching the ultra cool bottle to the back of his brother's hand.

"You can buy me drinks anytime," Auggie smirked, completely unaware of the awkward tension Annie held in her shoulders as she retook her seat beside him.

"Good to know!" She exclaimed, finding the comment more funny than it probably was. She popped the top from her own Sam Adams and took a long swig.

The air suddenly went softer, the heavily dropped beats that had been pulsing from the car speakers had ceased to be, replaced by the smooth, singing notes of a piano. Corrine came dancing up then, her smile wide, her eyes bright, sweater lost, tank top thin and hair tangled. She looked stunningly wild.

"You're going to dance with me," she said to Auggie, taking his hand into hers, "Won't you please darling?"

"I would be delighted," Auggie smiled. He stood to his feet, stumbling slightly before Corrine caught his other arm. "God I've had too much to drink…"

"Hurry, hurry, I love this song," she urged, pulling him along, closer to where the music wielding vehicle was idling.

"If I'm not back in twenty minutes, come looking for me," Auggie laughed.

"More like ten," Jamie muttered once the two were out of earshot.

"You don't trust her," Annie asked before she could stop herself, her bones weren't the only thing that alcohol made loose.

He looked at her then, his light green eyes alert, absent of the haze of booze that clouded everyone else within a hundred foot radius. His gaze wandered back to the dancing couple. They looked happy, Auggie's hands on her waist, her fingers entwined behind his neck, they were laughing and talking. A pang of longing clenched in Annie's stomach, all her emotions intensified by the night's activities.

"She's not… responsible," he said softly. Annie got the feeling that Jamie did everything softly. "And sometimes she forgets."

"So what's her story anyways, why is she so… Reckless?"

"Because she doesn't care," he answered simply, "She threw in the towel a long time ago. I just don't want her pulling Auggie down with her."

At that same moment a flash of very pale, very cold male genitalia streamed past her vision, it's owner hooting and hollering as he ran with his arms up in victory across the beach. His goose bumps were so severe that Annie could see them from where she was sitting. Her eyes were wide as lollipops, jaw slack in surprise.

"I would like to introduce you to Yahya," Jamie said through his warm laughter, "But we like to call him Streaker Johnny."

"I think I know Johnny a little more than I would like to," she laughed, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight.

"Streaker Johnny strikes again," Corrine exclaimed dramatically as she brought Auggie back to the fire, "Annie you are now officially part of our sick little family and Auggie you've never been so lucky to be blind!"

"Damn straight," Auggie laughed.

xXx

One hour later and the once lively beach held a completely different scene. Dozens of comforters and sleeping bags were sprawled all across the sand with teenagers squeezed beneath, curling together to fend off cold and the ever-present loneliness that burns in the bones of adolescence.

Annie found herself happily cocooned between August and Jamie, their heat warming her to her toes. No one was asleep yet, everyone simply enjoying the sleepy stupor that comes after the high, gazing at the stars and realizing for the first time how truly small they are. Annie herself had never taken the time to fathom the universe, but tonight it seemed like the right thing to do.

Briefly she glanced over at the tall brunette that laid beside her, Corrine's hand was laying palm up on his chest and his long fingers were tracing senseless patterns on it's surface, his soft eyes galaxies away. Annie wished she could follow him but knew she would never be able to.

Without consideration, she laid her head on Auggie's shoulder, her heart fluttering when laid his head on hers. It had been the best night of the year, the heart that had been broken into too many pieces was being put back together. For the longest time she thought it wouldn't get better, but now she knew for certain that it would. She let her eyes drift closed, her body aware of the skin that melded with her own; Jamie's arm pressed against her, her arm on his stomach, someone's leg across her thigh, a hand near her shoulder, Auggie's steady breathing rustling her hair.

There was something sacred in this closeness as so many people laid as one like almost lovers on the brink of brilliance. It was something that couldn't be spoken aloud, something that could only be translated by the unity of beating hearts.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed.  
If so please leave a comment to let me know and if not I would love to know why.  
Really I would!  
I know that some of you are probably wondering where the A-Squared romance is.  
It's coming I can promise you that but I want it to be intimate I want it to take time and feel real.  
Thank you for reading!


	4. Guilt By Any Other Name

_**A/N**_: Compared to other chapters this one was easy to write, save the last couple of lines. They alone took me the better half of today. But I finished and all before midnight.

Special kudos to** NeoNails**, **kam6zx**, and **mag721** who have a delightful knowledge of music! It was A Fine Frenzy and that song is so tragically beautiful and came at such a perfect time that I had to give it it's rightful spot as the title of the last chapter.

Also I would like to thank **northerlywind** and **zoraya h** for your inspiring reviews! And to all of you who have read and reviewed, I really do appreciate it! Fo' reals. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Oh and one more thing! I have to tell you that **NeoNails** and **Beth - Geek Chick**, my favorite CA FF writers, deserve metals of honor because when I tire of this fandom they happen to conveniently post around the same time and my faith in CA FF is renewed! So if you haven't, go read their stuff (after you finish this chapter of course ;))

Happy Reading!

* * *

**Guilt By Any Other Name**

Annie woke because she was cold. Bone aching, fetal position, balled muscle cold. It was all she could to stretch out her limbs, wincing as they loosed and lengthened, her blood rushed quickly through her stiff veins, making her fingertips prickle. Vaguely aware of the warmth at her back, she pushed off someone's arm to sit up, trying to understand why she was so damn cold. It was still dark out but not night dark as she could see the sun's fingers ghosting through the velvet blue sky.

Honey brown eyes discovered that the others were still sleeping; Jamie curled up beside her, Corrine entangled with a snoring Conrad, her hair thrown over Streaker Johnny's face who, on every exhale, sent wisps of it flying. There were mounds of comforters all over the shoreline, their occupants equally still. Just down the beach a figure sat at the water's edge, close enough that the foam licked at his feet.

_Auggie_.

After but a moment of consideration, Annie stumbled her way towards him, trying her best not to kick sand in anyone's unprepared face. It was a task. As she got closer to him she could see his thick wavy hair alive with the wind rushing off the ocean, his handsome face serene and tilted towards the sky. As she sat down beside him she pulled her knees to her chest and looked up at the ever lightening sky.

"You always get up this early," she asked, he smiled lightly when she spoke but didn't turn to her.

"We as the teenaged race waste a lot of time sleeping, I intend to break this cycle," whether he intended to or not, his voice got softer, more reverent, "Besides, the sun's about to come up."

She glanced at him then, utterly fascinated.

"How do you know that?" Blood bloomed in her cheeks like wild roses, her mouth once again reacting before her manners could catch up. "I am so sorry that was rude…"

His soft laughter shocked her. He leaned in close as though sharing a secret, she shuddered at his warmth. Or that's what she told herself.

"I'll tell you a secret," he began softly, his hot breath against her neck spreading goose skin across her flesh, "I like your questions."

A breathless 'oh' escaped her mouth.

"A lot of things tell me, though," he said normally, looking back up to the sky, "The temperature goes up for one thing, birds start singing, these idiots stop snoring, but mostly I can feel it. Almost like weight on my skin. I've missed a lot of sunrises but I guess seeing it really isn't the point anyways."

The intimacy of the conversation caught her off guard. She stared at him for a long moment, captivated by the thoughtful plummet that his warm brown eyes had taken. But there was something behind that thoughtfulness. Something sad. She wished she knew him well enough to understand, to hold knowledge of him that was currently beyond her imagining.

"I think it's the certainty of it, the sunrise I mean," he continued, the inside corners of his eyes scrunching in concentration, "Because no matter what life gives you, the sun goes up and comes down. Like it's trying to remind us that the world hasn't ended, just changed."

"How… Poetic," she all but whispered, not daring to speak louder for fear of ruining the moment.

"Heh. I have my moments," he grinned.

Dawn broke, destroying night's last hopes of holding dominion. Light splashed across the sky like paint spilling over a dark canvas; gold, red, pink, purple. Annie glanced at Auggie for half a moment to see him sitting frightfully still, it was something she envied him, this stillness. He wore it so well. Looking back at the sun's gathering majesty, she felt her chest constrict. Auggie was blind and until that moment she assumed he had always been so, it was part of who he was and that was that. But that wasn't true. He wasn't a one dimensional being just like she wasn't. Everyone comes with a past, after all, but often times she forgot. She wondered what it must be like to understand sight and yet lack the ability to attain it.

"I don't know about you but I'm starving," the words tumbled awkwardly across his tongue, his eyes resting on her shoulder though his gaze was far beyond, "What do you say we wake the ruffians and terrorize the local Waffle House?"

"Mm, hot waffles," she sighed at the thought of hot food, "You, sir, speak my language."

Wearing a smile that killed her, he rose to his full six feet and offered her a hand which she eagerly accepted, allowing his strength to pull her up. His skin was almost hot against hers and it sent a shock straight down to her frostbitten toes. His brow scrunched and he held her petite hand for what felt, to Annie, like an eternity.

"Are you cold," he asked, not waiting for a reply before removing his hoodie. "You should've said something."

"Oh, you really don't have to," she muttered quickly as he held it out to her.

"Anne Walker," he mock reprimanded her, "Never deny a man the opportunity to be a gentleman, it doesn't happen too often. Take it, really."

As the body-warmed fleece slid over her skin, a long sleeping pang ignited in her stomach. That feeling of being taken care of, the feeling of being safe. She hadn't felt it properly since… well, since _him_. She looked up at him with a smile and a new ache quickly overwhelmed her. A white long-sleeved shirt draped conspicuously over Auggie's form. Just beneath the thin cotton, Annie could make out the hills and valleys of his broad chest, the slightly stretched collar revealing the ghost of his collarbone beneath lightly tanned skin. All at once the long dormant need between her hip bones blazed with intensity.

"Uh, thanks," she said, expending all the oxygen in her lungs and then some, "Breakfast, we need breakfast."

Her feet carried her back towards the sleeping teenagers, her cheeks an embarrassing shade of pink. Damn hormones.

"Hey Annie," she spun around at the sound of his voice, her eyes wide, "Do you mind?"

For the first time since she'd known him, Annie noticed that he looked uncomfortable. It was then that she realized something missing from his person, something that she had yet to see him without. Normally, when not in use, it could be found folded in his back pocket or on the lunch table near his hand but it seemed he'd completely neglected his cane that morning.

_How rebellious_, she thought. It seemed he wasn't as settled in his blindness as he let people believe.

"Yea- I don't mind."

Not having any idea on how to go about leading a blind teenaged boy, she let her fingers slide into the crook of his elbow, noticing how his bicep tightened beneath her touch. Almost simultaneously, he gently removed her hand from his elbow and reversed their positions, falling in step with her while he pulled himself closer, an amused smile on his face. Annie blushed as he gave her arm a friendly squeeze and all the while her hormones were singing:

_He's touching me_…

xXx

The horrendous noise jangled around him; glasses being set on the table, forks scraping across plates, the bell over the door chiming, shoes squeaking on tiles and about a hundred people talking that hadn't yet discovered their 'inside voices'. Everything was twice as hard to decipher with a group this large, that is, a group large enough to fill more than half the tiny restaurant with hung over teenagers all possessed with a serious case of the munchies. His senses seemed to smear together in a blur of voices, smells, noise and people trying to get his attention. He had one of two options:

Option A: He could slip on his sunglasses (something he only did whilst in a 'mood') and brood silently or,

Option B: Focus all of his energy on something that didn't annoy him.

Though Option A was alluring, he decided to cut out the calamity by concentrating on one thing; the small, grapefruit scented girl that sat beside him. Something about her eased the tension from his jaw and shoulders. There was a timid energy about her, she was soft and delicate, friendly and warm. In essence, she was everything that Corrine wasn't. Annie wasn't forceful in her movements, she didn't have that commanding authority that Corrine wielded like a weapon of mass destruction.

He liked the way she leaned into him when she laughed and the way she scoffed under her breath when she disagreed with someone at the table. He noticed how soft and even her breathing was and the way her legs swung beneath the table, every once in awhile brushing against his jeans. These were several things he knew about her but there were worlds that he didn't know. In his mind's eye he tried to shape her, he tried to make out the contour of her lips or the exact color of her eyes, he wanted to know if her skin was like milk or cream and he wanted to see how she blushed when he touched her because he knew that she did. All of these mysteries frustrated him.

A dull pain throbbed in his shin and he sighed, looking up towards the girl in front of him. He should have known this was coming, because her pencil had stopped scratching against her notebook some time ago.

"What are you so thoughtful about, Anderson," she asked in her usual drawl, she always spoke like she had all the time in the world.

"Oh you know, just pondering the meaning of life," he grinned impishly.

"The usual then, huh," she said, she was quiet for a moment and in that moment Auggie knew he was in trouble, "So, can I talk to you outside for uno momento?"

"It should be 'un momento' not 'uno'," Annie said suddenly, automatically.

"Right," Corrine said condescendingly, Auggie on the other hand, found it amusing, "Anyways, let's talk. Come on."

"Just saying," Annie mumbled as Corrine's dull boots clacked on the tile floor. Auggie gave Annie's knee a friendly pat before slipping out of his chair.

Corrine grabbed his hand and pulled him along like he was a coat hanging over her shoulder. He hated the way she lead him, it was always careless and- a sharp pain cut into his hip as he caught the corner of a table. The sound of silverware being tossed around made heat crawl up his neck, he muttered a soft apology to the occupants of the table.

"My bad, baby," Corrine said, though in Auggie's opinion, she didn't sound at all apologetic.

Pulling his hand out of her grasp, he corrected her lead and placed his hand in the middle of her back to walk behind her and avoid the conniving tables and chairs.

The bells above the door chimed as they stepped outside, the cold air stealing Auggie's breath. Once she had turned the corner, she stopped and he dropped his hand from her back to lean against the wall. She muttered something unintelligible as she rustled around in her bag.

"What's all this about," he asked, not so much as attempting to keep the annoyed intonations from his voice. He knew by the way it was throbbing that he would have a bruise on his hip later and he didn't appreciate it.

"Nothing," she said, her words broken. There was the very slight smell of tobacco and Auggie knew she had an unlit cigarette in her mouth and was probably looking for the Zippo lighter she'd stolen from her father's desk before he left. "I needed a smoke and you needed a time out."

"Corrine, what are you talking about," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. There was a headache building behind his eyes, it was the kind that put him on his ass and Corrine's now-lit cigarette wasn't helping.

"You want a drag," she asked coyly.

"No, I don't. Would you answer my question," he insisted as he dug through his bag in search of his sunglasses. Not only could he feel a Corrine induced 'mood' coming on, but he wanted to be able to keep his eyes closed without weird-ing anyone out.

"You should smoke, maybe it would chill you out a bit," she mumbled. He let his head roll to the side to stare towards her, which he found to be more effective with shades on. "Okay, okay. God, August, don't get your panties in a bunch. I just thought you and I could use some alone time. That's all."

"Corrine Elizabeth Morgan," Auggie began exasperatedly, her possessive streak was taking over. She had done this so many times before, afraid of having to share him with someone else, "There's nothing to be jealous of, so stop bristling."

"Ugh," she scoffed unconvincingly, "I am not!"

"Whatever," he sighed.

"She's not even your type," she said matter-of-factly.

"Really," he humored her.

"Listen, I just don't want you rushing into things with Walker and I can tell that you like her, so don't try to deny it."

He hadn't had enough sleep for this argument but as she melted into his side, he couldn't help but cater to her. There was some power she held over him and she knew how to use it. It was an affection towards her that he'd never felt for anyone else and he doubted he ever would.

"Come on, Cory," he said cajolingly, "I'm interested, yes, but I've only known her for two days. Besides, I'm not going to get rid of you over a girl."

"I just- I don't want you to crash, Auggie. Not like you did with Tash or Liza. Neither one of us can go through that again."

Just the sound of their names made his chest hurt a bit, the wounds old but still gaping. Back then he was as stable as a grenade and when the pin was pulled, the shrapnel spared no one. He shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned his head against the wall, letting out a huge breath in an attempt to empty himself of those feelings.

"It's different now, Cory, I've got a hold on things again," he answered softly.

"Yea, well, I'm not so sure that I do," she murmured.

Something inside of him cracked, like a bottle under too much pressure.

"Not everything is about you," he said, his voice flat.

"Hey," she exclaimed, pushing his shoulder, "I'm the one who had to put you back together again, don't give me that shit!"

"Oh! I'm _so_ sorry for being a burden, Corrine," he lashed back, throwing his hands up in mock surrender, "And what exactly is it that I do for you everyday? Huh? We all know what would happen if I wasn't around!"

The silence was deafening but when it broke he would have given anything to get it back. A soft whimper fell from her mouth and he felt his heart break in half. Why did he have to say that? Why couldn't he have kept his temper? He took a timid step forward and found her shoulder. It amazed him how well he knew her body, he knew her height and volume in perfect contrast to his own, she was like an enhancement of himself.

"Don't."

The word was short and painful, but it hurt so much more when she shoved his arm aside and her footsteps walked quickly away. There was a part of his chest that felt suddenly empty.

"Corrine, I'm sorry," there he was, apologizing again, "Don't be like this?"

"Like what," she rounded on him, her voice yelling and crying at him at the same time, "Bitchy? Needy? Slutty? Broken? Take your pick August, but I don't want to know what you decide this time!"

A car door slammed, an engine ignited and tires squealing eagerly away. He let out an exasperated yell before taking his aggression out on the brick wall behind him. The pain that seared through his knuckles distracted him, but his anger still ran hot. Threading his fingers through his hair, he leaned back against the wall, taking deep, oxygen rich breaths. She was so damn stubborn. And he was so damn _tired._

xXx

By the time Annie made it though the glass door, Corrine had already pulled out of the parking lot and was speeding in her haphazard way down the road. In exasperation she sat on the sidewalk, feeling especially exhausted and stranded. Her eyelids slid shut and before she knew it she was half asleep, waking only when a stinging pain slapped across her back.

"Sorry," a familiar voice said. She looked up to see Auggie making his way back to the door, a pair of mirrored aviators hiding his eyes. He sounded upset.

"Haven't we done this before," she smiled tiredly.

"Seems familiar," he grinned, his fingers grazed her back and he took a seat beside her, resting his cane against his shoulder. "What are you doing out here?"

"Watching my ride fade into the distance," she sighed, noticing when he winced.

"Hmm. That may have been my fault."

"Well then I have to thank you."

"For what," he asked, puzzled.

"You saved me from having to get into that car driven by a girl with a death wish," she rolled her eyes and memories of her last scarring ride flashed on the backs of her drooping eyelids.

He was quiet and Annie had the feeling that she'd managed to stick her proverbial foot in her mouth. She looked at him to gage how far she'd shoved it down her throat when she noticed the torn skin of his right hand, the flesh already a nasty shade of purple.

"Oh God, what happened to you," she exclaimed, gingerly taking his hand into hers.

"Got into a fight with the wall," he winced.

"Well, I hate to tell you this, Auggie, but the wall won," she laughed softly. He smiled. "Is everything okay?"

"Eh, I've had worse, I promise this is-"

"That's not what I meant," she interrupted, her voice firm.

She watched as he took her hand in both of his, running his fingertips along the veins that ran on top and up to her short fingernails.

"Corrine and I had a fight," he said finally, "But we're always fighting."

"Really, you guys seem so happy when you're together," she replied incredulously.

"Yea, well, you've seen Tinsel Town but now you've got a backstage pass and I'll tell you something," he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "It ain't pretty."

"What happened to her," she asked.

Annie looped her arm through his and laid her heavy head on his shoulder, allowing her eyes to close for a moment. Just a moment…

"I don't think any one thing made her this way," he sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. "All she asks is that I'm there for her and I keep letting her down."

"You're a good friend, Auggie," she said reassuringly.

"How do you know that?"

"Because if you weren't, you wouldn't be feeling so guilty right now."

To her it was simple, but she could see that guilt held him captive. Guilt by the name of Corrine.


	5. Beautiful Disaster

**A/N: **I'm sorry this took so long! NaNo and a serious case of writers block had me stumped for awhile! I really hope this is okay and worth the wait! It's really a glimpse behind the masks that these charaters wear. So let me know what you think and thanks for sticking with me!

Happy Reading!

* * *

**Beautiful Disaster**

The car door slammed and she took the steps up to her house two at a time. For once she was glad to be at home alone, there would be no one there to witness the stale tears that had dried on her face or the red rims around her dark green eyes, both tell tale signs of an emotion she wasn't used to displaying. Sadness. It was out of character for Corrine to be sad and she didn't want anyone thinking otherwise. The house was dark as she stepped inside and she was plunged into near blindness as she closed the door behind her. That was strange, she never turned the lights out when she left home.

The sound of generically cued laughter and applause drew her towards the living room, the ambient light of the television like the flickering wicks of strange blue candles. As she walked into the living room she was nearly taken aback with surprise, her mouth forming a gentle 'oh'. A woman lounged on the couch that faced the entry way, her black silk robe fanned about her like a waterfall. She lifted her eyes from the television to glance at Corrine, her cold green eyes observing and disapproving.

"You look a mess, Corrine," she said, gesturing to her with a half empty martini glass. "I certainly hope you didn't go out in public like that."

"Mom," Corrine breathed, sitting in an armchair across from her mother, "I thought you weren't going to be home until next week."

"The trial was easier than I first expected," she answered airily as she poured herself another glass of Vodka, the bottle already half empty. "Where were you this morning?"

"I spent the night at the lakeside with some friends," Corrine said in a conversational tone, "And after we ate I- I went for a drive."

This was true, she had driven all the way to the Chicago city limits at precarious speeds in an attempt to get her mind off of the fight she'd had with Auggie. It didn't work.

"How nice," her mother smiled sardonically, "Goodness Corrine, those boots are disgusting, I wish you would get rid of them."

Tears stung at the back of Corrine's eyes but they stopped there, she wouldn't cry in front of her mother. The woman let out a soft laugh and stared at her daughter for several long moments, her glass green eyes as cold as stone. Corrine wondered if her eyes ever looked like that, she certainly hoped not.

"You should go clean up," her mother said, "We're going out to dinner tonight."

"Just you and I," Corrine asked hopefully.

"Of course not, Corrine," she answered, rolling her eyes as if it were obvious. "Don't be dumb. The firm is having a family dinner tonight and you haven't been to the past three, I can't have them thinking my daughter is an absent heathen."

The icy woman stood from the couch and walked up to Corrine, taking the girl's chin between her slim fingers and moving it right to left.

"Have you been crying," she asked in a whisper, her brow furrowing, "You're so ugly when you cry, dear."

"No," Corrine answered flatly, "I haven't been crying."

"Good," she replied, patting her daughters cheek before sauntering to the kitchen, "Be ready in an hour, the driver picks us up by four."

"I love you too, mom," she whispered to herself.

xXx

The sharp pain that crawled up his spine woke him, the pain that whispered of memories he would rather forget. Slim fingers crept out from beneath the covers, searching his nightstand for the orange plastic bottle that held the godlike pills that would wipe away his pain. All of it. Once his fingertips met with the bottle, he snatched it up, easily popping open the child-safe cap. He quickly swallowed two tiny dilaudid and laid in bed until the miniscule drug performed its dirty deed. Almost instantly his limbs seemed to loosen and become separate entities from his body, the pain in his back sliding away as though it never existed.

Groggily he threw his legs over the side of his bed, staying himself as blood rushed from his head to his heart and limbs, carrying the potent pain meds with it. He ran his hands over his face and noticed that the skin of his right hand was stiff and sore, the smell of dried blood making him crinkle his nose. Through his dilaudid hazed mind he could faintly hear Corrine yelling at him, her voice near tears. Corrine never cried.

He stood from his bed and was forced to steady himself on the bedpost, the dilaudid making him woozy as it always did. The drug made him feel like he was walking on water with waves tossing him back and forth but it was better than pushing through the pain in his back, or what was worse, the pain in his chest that constricted his heart.

After a long, steaming hot shower and a much needed change of clothes, he descended the stairs. The dilaudid making the descent more precarious than usual. Each step felt like he was about to plummet off a cliff and he clung to the railing for dear life.

"August, you're up," his mother said, her voice seeming to echo as he reached the landing, "Its almost time for dinner!"

He smiled and ran his fingers through his damp hair as his brain tried to process what his mother had said to him. Everything felt as though it was moving in slow motion and he began to wonder if just one dilaudid would have done the trick.

"Mm," he murmured, "Good, I'm starving."

"Julia," his father's deep bellow came from the kitchen, "I don't think I'm doing this right and unless you want me to order pizza for dinner, you had better get in here!"

"Oh dear," she muttered, hurrying into the other room. "Mica, I can't leave you alone for a moment!"

Auggie closed his eyes as he followed his mother's footsteps, surprised when he collided with the kitchen island. Had he miscounted? Had he counted at all? For a moment he froze, hoping that no one had noticed his missteps and when he didn't receive a reaction he took a seat on a barstool, laying his head on the countertop.

"You see," his mother was saying, "This is why I cook and you watch football!"

"That sounds just fine to me, Julia."

There was a smack of lips and a small bit of low laughter and, were he not swimming in his own head, Auggie would have told them to get a room.

"Well, good evening, son," his father said from across island, "Welcome back to the land of the living!"

Without lifting his head, he gave his dad a uncoordinated wave and received a bellow of laughter in return. The sound of a barstool being dragged across the linoleum made him look up, a useless and involuntary reaction, and the smell of Old Spice and fresh grass hit his nostrils. He hadn't heard Jamie walk up and decided that the younger boy was wearing socks.

"Dude," Jamie said in his ever-casual tone, "What'd you do to your hand?"

"Hmm. Oh, I must've scraped it against the wall or something this morning on my way back inside Waffle House," he lied nonchalantly, hoping his mother hadn't overheard the conversation. If only.

"Oh August," she said immediately, "That looks awful, were you alone?"

His mother gingerly took his hand and pulled it closer to her across the island, her spry fingers rubbing soothing circles in the top of his hand.

"Yea?"

"And why wasn't Jamie with you?"

"Because he's not my guide dog, mom," he grumbled, pulling his hand away from her grasp. "I'm a big boy now, I can walk places by myself."

"Oh can you," she disagreed and he knew that her hands would be on her hips, her light green eyes wide and disapproving and her cheeks rapidly flushing, "Well you've certainly proven that to us, August. You have to be more responsible. You can NOT be wandering about by yourself. You're going to get hurt."

His anger reared on its hind legs and he wanted to lash out at her for saying something so awful, but he didn't. Instead he bit his lip and choked down the words he wanted to stab her with. He'd hurt enough people this weekend and he couldn't hurt anymore, no matter how badly they wounded him.

"Jesus, mom," Jamie said for him, "Give him a break. I mean, I broke my arm because I fell off a curb, no one made a big deal over that. It's just a scrape."

"It's not just a scrape, Jameson," she yelled back. The sudden outburst clung to the air for what felt like hours and the room grew so quiet that Auggie could actually hear the florescent light above the windowsill buzzing. "It's so much more than that."

The way she spoke made Auggie want to cry, sometimes she spoke so softly and reverently that it was like she was mourning the loss of him. He wanted to yell at her that he was still alive, that he had survived and he was living and okay and that she should be too! But it wouldn't matter, she wouldn't accept that. Her baby was irreparably broken.

Without another word he stood from his seat and fled the kitchen, his shoulder smacking the entryway on the way out. In the foyer, he slipped on his shoes and grabbed his coat and his cane and walked out the front door with no destination and no plans to return that night. It was colder than it had been the night before, the icy chill nipping mercilessly at his flesh. Once he descended the porch steps, he zipped up his heavy coat and unfolded his cane, tapping it twice against the sidewalk to be sure the joints were in place, and he set off.

xXx

With reverence, she pulled the picture frame out of the moving box and blushed when his blue eyes met with hers. She couldn't help but smile when she looked at the picture, just her and Ben on a California beach. God, she missed him. Her heart constricted when she thought about the way he used to touch her, the way his lips felt against her skin. Her vision suddenly blurred, tears filling her eyes. She gingerly placed the picture frame on her bedside table and blinked back her tears. It was useless feeling these things for a boy who left her behind.

She turned to the window and stared around the neighborhood, it was a quaint place, very unlike where she lived in California. But she was grateful for that difference, it made it easier to separate this place from one of the other dozens of places she'd already lived. She had to admit, for her first week it had been damn good. Annie was a friendly person but the people here were a breath of fresh air compared to what she faced on her first week in Cali. The people here were welcoming and laid-back, in Cali they were generic clones of one another.

It was 5pm and the colors of dusk dusted across the sky, Annie smiled. What was she doing indoors when there was still daylight outside? It was time for some exploration.

She walked for nearly an hour before she came across a park, with swings and slides and an acre of green grass for picnicking. Already she could imagine herself sitting on a red and white checked blanket with sparkling red grape juice and thinly sliced meats. Just her and-

"Auggie?"

He was sitting on a bench, twisting his cane between his hands. He looked up when she called his name, his brown eyes wide with curiosity. But there was something about them that wasn't right. They were rimmed red and she could see tear stains gleaming on his cheeks. The smile on her face faded and she was at a loss of what to do.

"Hey, Annie," he smiled, quickly wiping away what was left of his tears. "What are you doing out here?"

"I thought I would take a walk and explore a little bit," she hesitated for a moment, "What about you?"

"Eh, I just had to get away from my house," he smiled sadly, "But I needed some exercise anyways, I slept all day."

"Oh so did I," she laughed, "As soon as you and Jamie dropped me off, I fell into my bed, jeans and all!"

"Same here," he grinned, leaning back on the bench.

She looked around for another familiar face, Jamie, Corrine, or even Stu perhaps. But there was no one. It was strange to her that he would be by himself because he seemed to be the kind of person that people liked to be around. She certainly did. An embarrassing thought hit her then, what if he had wanted some alone time and she was interrupted, her mother always told her not to be a bother.

"Are you here by yourself," she asked casually, her honey colored eyes still looking for the younger Anderson. Auggie sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am," he sounded offended and Annie couldn't help but blush violently. "You know, I have worked so hard to be as independent as I am and it's still not good enough. I'm still just as blind to everyone as I was before but that's not true and you people have no idea."

His voice was forced calm and his warm brown eyes were on fire, his usually smiling features disbelieving and annoyed. Annie opened her mouth to speak but before she could get out a word he stood to his feet and tapped his way back to the sidewalk.

"Auggie wait," she finally said, her shock finally wearing off.

With quick steps she got in front of him to make him stop, his cane smacking her ankle. She hissed in pain and he rolled his eyes at her persistence but her efforts weren't in vain and he stopped where he was, pulling his cane up beside him.

"That's not what I meant," she said quickly, her fingers vigorously rubbing at the red splotch on her foot. "I just- I've never really seen you without friends around, that's all."

The words left her mouth in a rush and she watched him anxiously for a reaction, biting her lip in hopes that he wasn't truly angry with her. His shoulders dropped a bit, the tension in them easing away and a red blush crawled up his neck and into his ears. She let out a breath of relief.

"I'm sorry, Annie," he sighed, "It's just not been a very good day, I- I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"Oh, don't worry about it," she smiled. Her stomach growled something terrible and she realized that she hadn't eaten breakfast that morning. Soft laughter caught her attention and she looked up to see Auggie was smiling again. "Oh, shut up."

"You hungry," he asked, still chuckling.

"Ravishing," she admitted, rubbing her tummy sympathetically.

"I tell you what," he grinned, "There's a really good pizza place just down the road from here, how about we go get a slice?"

"Ugh, I would owe you my soul," she moaned as they fell into step together. She looped her arm with his and tucked into him for warmth, watching as his cane tapped rhythmically back and forth and back and forth.

"Hmm. Souls are a bit old fashioned," he said thoughtfully, "What else you got?"

"My first born son?"

"I don't do diapers," he wrinkled his nose and she giggled.

"I know, I'll bring you cookies."

"Now, Anne Walker, you are speaking my language."

xXx

She shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her peacoat, her heels clicking obnoxiously on the sidewalk. The night was icy cold, the darkness thick and damp, but she didn't care, she needed to walk to clear her head. Her face was steely and her mouth set in anger. Her mother had lied to her, she hadn't cared about dinner, she just wanted to prance about among her colleagues with her new boy-toy on her arm. It was disgusting, the guy was young enough to be the woman's son.

The way she told Corrine to tell the driver she would be riding home with _Desmond _and that Corrine shouldn't 'wait up' made her want to scream. She left the high class restaurant in a hurry, desperate to get away from everything that she hated so much, the people, the show, the lies, the back stabbing. She couldn't stand it, it was like high school on steroids.

All she needed was a hot bath and a trip to her best friend's house and-

She glanced across the street to see Roma's Pizza alight with life and in the window like some mocking display, sat her best friend sitting with none other than Anne Walker. It felt as though the universe had punched her in the chest, telling her that she couldn't have the one thing in her life that kept her from tearing to ribbons. Corrine realized then that she lived off of others, depending on them to fix her because she didn't know how to fix herself. So it was true then, everything he'd said, she was just a disaster with a beautiful shell.


	6. Photograph

_**A/N:**_ So it's been awhile. I know I've taken forever to get this to you guys and I apologize, I can promise you that there will never be that big of a gap again. I hope this chapter doesn't let you down. Let me know your thoughts on it. These next chapters coming up are going to be awesome, I have the next three planned out and I'm excited about them.

This is definitely the longest chapter I've written, I'm kind of hoping it will make up a teensy bit for my being a slacker. Thank you to all of you who feed my muse (Charlie), we both appreciate it more than words can tell!

Feast your eyes my dears.  
Happy reading.

* * *

**Photograph**

The picture swam in front of her eyes as the tears pooled, she blinked and wiped them away. She didn't like crying. But the tiny rectangular piece of paper that quavered in her hand had a way of pulling such emotions from her gut. That smiling face and those green eyes and all that she wouldn't ever- couldn't ever- have back, all printed to be feasted on with naught but her eyes. The loss of his him was fresh as a knife to her chest, a hot and raging wound.

Auggie was in that picture, his bright eyes peering out from behind rectangular spectacles a mock shocked expression on his face as Corrine's puckered lips pressed against his cheek, her arms thrown around his neck. Then there was _him_, his arms around her waist in a feigned attempt to pull her away from Auggie. God, they were such hams.

It amazed her how that one picture could harbor so many good times and easy memories. How it could so easily remind her of how wonderful things were and what they never would be again. Gently she ran her index finger over his image, the ghost of someone irreplaceably beautiful. The world was worse off without him in it.

The tap-tapping of Auggie's cane pulled her attention away from the photograph and she shoved it into her notebook and her notebook into her book bag. As she peered around the corner of her hideaway, she laid eyes on her best friend, his sleepy brown eyes barely open, cane sweeping across the plain of the unknown before him. It still hurt her to see him this way, especially after seeing him in that picture. There had been no trace of sleepiness in that picture.

_He's so good at it_, she thought to herself.

But she knew that his mask was a cracked one, that he dealt with what happened to him by focusing everything on her. She was his constant and he was hers. They were on a high-speed race to self-destruct and at this point she couldn't tell who was winning.

As he passed by her cove, she gripped his arm and pulled him in front of her, those brown eyes wide in surprise. She swallowed a great lump of guilt at the startled look on his face, the realization that he didn't know who she was though he was looking straight at- no, through- her made her sad. That pain in her heart flared again.

"I need to talk to you," she said, the sound of her voice sounding too loud after keeping it to herself for nearly twenty-four hours.

Though a frown hovered on his lips, she could see his shoulders slouch as the tension fled them.

"Christ, Corrine," he said in a harsh whisper, his fingers pushing through his hair as he did when he was stressed, "Couldn't you have just come up and said that instead of pulling me into an alley like you're going to mug me?"

"I-" she flinched at the anger in his voice. Honestly, she didn't know why she did the things she did to him, it was what she would've done when he could see and she hadn't let go of those habits, that would be too much like admitting something was wrong- different- about her best friend. That would be like admitting that… Well. She couldn't think about that. "I'm sorry, August, I just wasn't thinking."

It must have been something in her voice, something that only he could hear because his face softened at her words. He was on the brink of understanding everything, of once again seeing through her and getting to the core of her private misery.

"Are you alright," he asked, placing both of his hands on the top of his cane. Something he always did when he was preparing for a talk. It was funny how much a part of him that cane had become. She remembered how he resisted it at first, flung it across the room on several occasions. That is, until he learned that it was the key to exploration in the depths of his dark and bottomless ocean.

"Everything's fine," she lied automatically. The inside corners of his eyes scrunched up, his head cocked slightly as he evaluated her words. "Don't do that, you'll get wrinkles."

She grinned as she patted his cheek softly, all her woes stored safely in her notebook at the bottom of her book bag. He chuckled lightly and shook his head at the way she swept everything up so quickly. It seemed she got better at it with age.

"I just wanted to apologize for how I treated you the other day," she continued. "It's selfish of me to want to keep you all to myself, I mean, it's too much work 'cause you're too damn handsome and these hormonal teenagers just can't keep their claws off you. Basically, I'm tired, August. You need a girlfriend."

"Is this supposed to be your twisted blessing for me to be with girls besides you?"

"Honey, this is me telling you to go get laid," she smiled. With a tiny bit of hesitance she murmured, "We good?"

"We good," he beamed, holding his arms open for a hug.

She slipped easily into his arms and nearly melted as his strong grip wrapped around her shoulders. There was no telling what she would do without his strength, 'cause god knows she borrowed all that she had from him. His lips pressed onto the top of her head and she smiled.

"Come on, I'll walk you to class since I'm the reason you're late anyways," she pulled away and took his hand, lacing her fingers with his and pulling him along behind her.

"I don't think I've been on time anywhere since the day I met you," he mumbled.

"Oh, har-har," she teased.

As they walked the hall together, Corrine frowned when she noticed Auggie using his cane even though he was with her. That bothered her a lot, like he didn't trust her.

"Why do you do that," she blurted out, "Use your cane when I'm leading you?"

"Because this," he began, holding up their entwined hands as Exhibit A, "Is not leading me. This is."

His fingers loosened from her grip and traveled up her arm, latching around the crook in her elbow.

"I've told you that a thousand times," he sighed, pulling his cane close to his body to keep it out of the way.

Little more than ten steps later and his weight pressed into her, she looked over to see someone's book bag tripping him up and she managed a slight blush. Normally she wouldn't have taken notice, but after Saturday and seeing the way things effected him made her see everything in a new light. Not to mention she hadn't had a drink that morning and the startling clarity of everything pierced her.

"Oh, guess I should've told you 'bout that, yea?"

"Yea," he sighed again, his wide exasperated eyes staring holes in her skin.

"Yea…"

So much for trust.

xXx

Annie's cheeks were flushed with embarrassment after giving her APUSH teacher her best excuse for not having that damn paper finished, she had spent so much of the night before trying to understand her Algebra 3 homework that she'd abandoned the history paper entirely. But after spending the first quarter of her lunch period bartering with Mr. Finney, her coaxing paid off and she was granted a one day pardon if she could manage to turn it in by sixth period tomorrow. God help her.

She spotted him then, just as he was passing her classroom on his way to lunch. The smile that grew on her face by the sight of him caused her to blush deeper. She had barely known him for five days and she felt like she'd known him for five years. Quickly she gathered her things and fled the room, taking long strides to catch up with him.

His headphones were over his ears but as she approached his nose lifted in the air and he turned towards her. She grinned and knew exactly what caught his attention, she gave his arm a gentle squeeze and he pulled his headphones down around his neck.

"Ms Walker," he drawled, a lazy smile on his face, "Did you make me cookies?"

"I promised I would," she sing-songed, "And I say what I mean."

"I know," he replied softly, a strange look on his face. It stopped her for a moment, but she quickly recovered.

"Here," she pulled him to a stop and pulled out the zip-lock bag of cookies she'd made early that morning while she studied Algebra, hoping beyond hope that she would understand better with a sleep fresh mind. No such luck. "You eat cookies and I'll drive."

"Sounds like a deal," he laughed, folding his cane and shoving it in his pocket.

After handing him a cookie, she very softly patted the back of Auggie's hand as she had seen Jamie and Stu do over the past few days. His hand automatically traveled up her arm and to her elbow and she couldn't help but smile. That automatic connection, that communication without words, it thrilled her. She wondered what else there was to learn, like a secret code that few people knew. It was exhilarating in the most base of ways.

"Oh god, Annie," he slurred around a mouthful of cookie, "These are like heaven, you made these?"

"Yup," she bubbled, "It's my sister's recipe, I made them from scratch this morning while I studied… Dismally, I might add."

"Well, I thank you with my whole stomach," he smiled a wide loopy grin. "What were you studying that could possibly have stumped the goddess of cookie baking?"

"Algebra," she grumbled.

"Algebra," he chuckled, holding his hand out hopefully. She placed another cookie in his hand and laughed at the way he moaned as he took a tremendous bite, "Algebra is simple."

"Oh yea, Mr. Smarty-Pants," she mumbled, "And what math are you in?"

"I'm not," he grinned triumphantly, "I took AP Calc as a junior. I'm done till college."

"Oh boo," she frowned, smacking his shoulder playfully. "I'm not a super nerd like you…"

"Hey! I'm going to ignore that statement and make you an offer," he began cajolingly, "You give me another cookie and I'll give you an after school cram session with the 'super nerd', yea?"

"Hmm," she pretended to think it over, though she couldn't think of a better way to end her evening, "One more cookie you say? I think I can work with that."

"You sure," Auggie said in mock seriousness, "Because I'm willing to up the conditions to two cookies, my final offer, really."

"You got yourself a deal," she laughed.

A silent shiver ran up her spine as his hand left her elbow and slid to her back, rubbing soothing circles deep into her skin and muscle and bone and soul, her hormones robbing her of coherent thought.

"Don't worry, Annie Walker," he said happily as he popped the rest of his cookie into his mouth, "Together we'll slay the Algebraic Beastie."

xXx

Auggie hated the after school rush. He hated the bells, the announcements, the hoards of people that shoved him around. Even his magic people-repellant cane couldn't break the crowd. With great effort and mass confusion, he managed to get to the right wall of the hallway, hoping that he would have more luck. Yea right. Truth was, he could have made it easier on himself and waited in his final class for Jamie to pick him up, but he felt so ridiculous sitting in there with his teacher, waiting for his baby brother to take him home. His ego couldn't take the hit. So instead he let himself get jostled by the crowd and his mood plummet.

There was so much on his mind that afternoon, too, that he found it impossible to concentrate. He'd started his day with Corrine and had been surprised to find that she didn't smell even faintly of alcohol only her usual cigarettes and vanilla, that was strange enough for this time of year. Whenever it was this close to her birthday, she started tearing at the seams. Her apology had sounded genuine, too, surprisingly so for the wooden girl.

Then there was Annie. He found himself thinking of the dinner they'd shared, of the way she spoke. He certainly liked that the most about her, the cadence of her voice. It was unmatched by anyone's he'd ever heard because she used her mouth differently, he wondered why that was and made a mental note to figure it out. There was so much life when she was around, it oozed off of her and seeped into his skin. It was an addicting quality.

A warm, slim hand slid into his and he breathed a sigh of relief as the scent of grapefruit washed out everything else. Speak of the devil. He allowed her to pull him along, using his cane to protect him from the maniacal book bags and corners that were always out to get him.

"Good god," she mumbled, "It's like burrito day at my old school."

He couldn't help but laugh at the statement.

"It's Monday," he said over the roar of students, "Everyone's anxious to get it over with."

Auggie pulled himself closer to Annie and lowered his grip on his cane. It was strange to him how it was so easy to trust this girl, this girl that he had known for little more than five days. There was something genuine about her and he couldn't help but want that in his life. It was nice, the way she just accepted who he was and went along with it. Unafraid to ask questions and be curious. Most people thought that being curious around him was a sin. But not Annie, her childlike curiosity intrigued him.

"So," she asked, pulling him into the lobby where the incessant noise echoed higher up in the ceiling and the crowds of teenagers spread out, finally he felt like he could breathe, "Whose place are we headed to, yours or mine?"

"Oh-" the question caught him off guard, "Oh I was- I was thinking my place would be best, it'll be real quiet."

That was true, his house would be empty save Jamie, his mother worked Mondays as a nurse and his father wasn't home till late on weekdays. But it wasn't the only reason he preferred his own house. He didn't want to come across as needy to Annie, to think him weak, he wanted her to see him in his own environment where he could walk freely and take care of her, not the other way around. That and he wasn't in the mood for a 'meet the parents' session.

"Okay. Sounds good."

It was funny, it couldn't be said that Annie wore her emotions on her sleeve, but she most definitely left a bread crumb trail to get to them. This fascinated Auggie and he couldn't help but enjoy learning to follow the weaving paths. It was a refreshing challenge after battling the Minotaur in Corrine's labyrinth. He shook his head, he shouldn't be comparing the two, it wasn't fair to either one.

xXx

Auggie's house was big. It was a huge white farm house with a wraparound porch and a million windows. The front lawn was gigantic and lush green and she was positive that the backyard would be the same, there was a tire swing hanging from a tremendous oak tree in the front and a bench swing on the porch. Annie felt like she had just walked onto a set in Hollywood where the Bradys lived, it felt like home. A smile curled on her lips and she followed Auggie up the stairs to the front door, in awe at how homey everything was. She herself was used to a neat and quickly set up house, more a place to stay than a place to live.

As they pushed past the red front door, her eyes grew wide. The inside was even better than the outside, pictures on every wall, old, comfortable looking furniture, a fireplace that looked like it could house a tree and made her want to curl up and sip hot cocoa with a good book, and worn wooden floors that told so many stories of those who tread on its grains.

Auggie hung his cane and his jacket on the coat hanger- they had a coat hanger!- as she feasted with her eyes on the memories of the house. Her feet took her a bit further into the living room where- just above the fireplace- hung a family portrait. Her eyes were as wide as lollipops and she counted again. There were six boys in that picture- six!- all surrounding a beautiful green eyed woman and a man with a broad chest and a charming smile.

_So that's where he got it_, she thought to herself.

"Annie," Auggie's voice drifted to her ears and she turned to see him leaning against the entryway, arms crossed, smile amused.

"How many of you are there," she asked in wonder.

"Six," he laughed, "I have four older brothers and Jamie. He and I are the only ones left at home, though Matt comes around a lot, he gets homesick pretty easy."

"And I thought one sister was hard to deal with," Annie breathed.

"I'm going to head up to my room and drop my books off, you can follow if you want," he said, turning and heading for the stairs.

For the first time she noticed that he wasn't using his cane, he just moved about as freely as anyone, occasionally reaching out to touch something- the wall, the railing, the chair railing- as though to keep track of himself. If he amazed her any more she would burst. For a brief moment she paused to take everything in, including a deep breath, and set off to follow him.

As they ascended the stairs, she took in all of the portraits on the wall, family outings and posed pictures, each one housing an Anderson boy or two. She wondered what Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter must be like with such a large family. It was always so quiet for Annie's family, but she didn't mind, it gave her more time to spend alone with daddy.

Once they reached the landing, Auggie slipped into the third door on the left and Annie peeked inside. It was dark, just a bit of light leaking through the curtains. It felt strange to look into his room, like she would learn all of his secrets once she stepped inside.

"Oh," he said suddenly, as though remembering something obvious, "You can turn on the light if you need to, just remember to turn it off so my bulb doesn't burn out."

She flipped the switch that was just on the inside of the door and stepped in meekly. Though she could never figure out why, it always made her nervous to be in someone's house for the first time. It was a home for them, a sanctuary and she wasn't quite sure how to treat something like that.

"Don't be shy," he smiled, looking in her vague direction, "Come on in, you can sit on my bed if you want."

She crossed the room and sat carefully on his bed, all the while her eyes scouring the walls and floor and desk and everything else imaginable. His room was neat- by necessity, she supposed- but it was so much more personal than she had ever achieved with her own quarters. There were posters on the wall- from when he could see- bookshelves and a set of drawers, some things were scatter on the floor but for the most part it was clear.

Auggie had moved to his closet and her eyes widened as he took off his shirt, the smooth skin of his back interrupted by a puckered scar that ran from the top of his right shoulder to the middle of his back. Curiosity burned in the back of her mind but she stamped it out, instead looking about the room a bit more. Her hungry eyes settled on a picture that sat on his nightstand and her brow crinkled. It seemed strange for someone like Auggie to have a picture beside their bed. It had no frame and was torn on one corner but it was clearly a memory and a good one at that. In the other pictures- including the family portrait- Auggie had been too young or too far from the camera for her to pick out, but this, this was definitely him.

His warm brown gaze smiled at the camera from behind rectangular glasses- _he wore glasses_- and the smile on his face was unmistakable, he was on top of the world. Corrine's long thin arms hung around his neck and her dramatically puckered lips pressed against his cheek while another boy tugged at her waist. There was something oddly familiar about the boy and his alarmingly green eyes and sun kissed hair, though Annie knew she'd never seen him before.

"Who's the boy in this picture," the question bubbled from her mouth and Annie was startled by it, she hadn't intended to give a voice to her thought.

As soon as Auggie turned to face her, a new shirt hiding that curious scar, she knew that she had stepped on something tender, from the hurt in his eyes to the awkward shifts in his weight. She wished she could mop up her words but she'd forgotten where she'd put her voice.

"What picture is that," he asked, attempting lightheartedness.

"The one on your nightstand," she said, trying to sound casual.

"Oh uh," he moved to sit beside her on the bed and held out his hand, she gently placed the picture in his palm, "That's Chris, Corrine's twin brother. My best friend."

_That's why he looked so familiar, _she thought.

"He- uh- he died a couple years ago," Annie felt a pang in her chest at the sadness in Auggie's eyes as his fingers swept over the photo, "This is the last picture of him. He died when we were sixteen."

"Oh," Annie said in respectful quiet, but that curious tongue of hers couldn't be held down, "What happened to him?"

"Well, he was epileptic and he had a seizure in the bathtub," he replied, she could tell by the set of his mouth that he was locking up his emotions. He placed the picture back on his nightstand and stood to his feet. "Drowned."

"That's so sad," Annie whispered, unsure of what else to say. She wasn't sure what was polite in this situation.

"Yea," he said casually, "Corrine took it real hard, can't even talk about him. Now that's sad."

She couldn't be sure, but he almost sounded angry. He went to the door and smiled towards her, seeming as though the conversation had never happened.

"You ready to slay that beast," he asked.

"Not really," she smiled.

"Well, let's armor up and get it done."


	7. Favorite Worst Nightmare

_**A/N:**_ Here it is, the Halloween chapter! I meant to post this months ago but the story wasn't ready for it. This one isn't quite as- profound? deep?- as the others but they're teenagers, they aren't deep all the time.

NaNoWriMo was eye opening this year. I think I learned a lot about my writing and such and I think I'm finally ready to start finishing stuff. That makes me nervous...

Anyways.  
I have to tell you that you guys are the awesomest and sweetest and motivating-est and a bunch of other '-est' reviewers ever. I swear, you guys are so inspiring and encouraging and I really appreciate it. I promise that I will do my best to write more consistantly and not let time get away from me anymore. You guys are the best!

Let me know what you think!  
Happy Reading. (And New Year!)

* * *

_**Favorite Worst Nightmare**_

With a small breath held in her chest, Annie put down her mechanical- and slightly chewed- pencil, her anxious eyes going over the last equation for the final time. The breath fled her mouth as she realized it was right. Her eyes flickered to a serenely reading Auggie then back to her paper. It was unbelievable, after three days with this boy and he had her successfully completing her homework before dawn, stress free. She suppressed a squeal and performed a silent victory dance, able to move more freely now that the weight was lifted from her chest, and nearly falling off her stool.

Her lips parted to announce to her hero that she had slain the algebraic beast, but her words stuck in her throat. Spry fingers danced across the pages of his book, his face reflecting every sensation that passed through his mind. Annie couldn't help but watch him, thinking that maybe if she looked long enough she could break through his crumbling manmade surface and see the human that hid inside. Maybe it was all the time they had spent together in these past few days, maybe he was growing more relaxed around her, or maybe it was nothing at all, but she was sure that she could hear the music beneath his lighthearted words, the secret language that he spoke in hopes that someone would truly understand.

A rose pink blush sprouted in her cheeks as she realized that his fingers were still on the pages of his book, his eyes trained just to her left, a smirk curling the corners of his mouth. Quickly she turned her eyes away, how rude of her to stare at someone who couldn't even stare back. It sure as hell felt like he was staring though, his curious gaze burning her.

"Annie Walker, you're staring at me," it isn't a question, "Does this mean that the beast has been slain?"

"It has," she said with a ridiculous smile, "But how'd you know I was staring?"

There went that mouth again, but he'd said he liked her questions.

"Ah, a magician never reveals his secrets," there was a funny glint in his eyes and she could hear that melancholy music beneath his cheery words. "A good one, at any rate."

She humored him with a chuckle as he stood from his barstool and stretched his arms above his head. It was impossible for her not to notice the way the hem of his shirt lifted from his skin, taunting her with that contoured V that slides down past the rim of his jeans to a place where boys hold magical powers over girls. She doubted that even Corrine had any power there.

"You want a drink," his voice plunged through her thoughts and pulled her up from drowning in dangerous waters.

"Please," she managed, her throat seemed suddenly parched, her face hot.

His brow furrowed for a moment and she knew that he'd heard the strangeness in her voice, he let it go and went to the fridge. It amazed her how comfortable he was at home, walking around with confident strides as though everything were right. There were moments when she forgot entirely and she could see the light that flared in his eyes when he realized just as much- _could you look at this problem, have you seen this, watched that_- it made him happy.

"What would you like? Water, soda, milk…" he trailed off, his arm sliding further into the fridge. "Oh! Capri Sun?"

He spun on his heel, holding two metallically packaged drinks, a lop-sided smile on his suddenly boyish face. A little kid that Annie couldn't resist.

"What are we, in kindergarten?" she giggled.

"Ah, come on," he teased, sliding her drink towards her from the other side of the island, leaning on his elbows against the countertop. "Capri Suns are ageless. I'll be drinking these when I'm ninety."

With interest, Annie watched as Auggie held his finger over the aluminum covered hole, guiding his straw through it by feel. Every little thing was fascinating to her, how he was adapted to a world that was so based on sight. So dependant. He made the impossible seem easy. Something sparked in her memory, the scar stretched across his back. That itch to know returned.

"Auggie?"

"Hmm?"

She sucked on her straw while she weighed her words. Feeling almost giddy as the drink coated her tongue with enough sugar to put a horse into a diabetic coma. It was like alcohol for kids.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes, Annie, I will absolutely give you my number," he grinned impishly.

"Oh, I-"

"I'm just kidding," he laughed, "Go ahead. Ask me anything."

"I was just wondering- I mean I noticed the other day- Well, how did you get that scar- on your back?"

She tumbled over the words head first, unsure of how to bring up such a subject. He took a large gulp of his drink and leaned back against the counter behind him. His grin had disappeared though he didn't look at all upset.

"I was in a car accident with my brother Matt when I was fifteen," he answered, "Messed up some nerves in my back."

"Oh," she breathed, "Does it still hurt?"

"Eh, it's pretty much gone now, I still have some pain but they've got drugs for everything."

Auggie let his voice trail off, a somewhat uneasy smile stretched on his lips as he shifted from foot to foot. There was a tension crackling through the room, rearing its mighty head to intimate Selick's rhino in that strange movie with the peach. Annie could feel the question forming a lump in her throat and by the uncomfortable look on his face, Auggie could feel it too. But she couldn't stop it. It flicked off the tip of her tongue before she had time to choke it down.

"Is that how you-" she couldn't finish the question. Saying the word out loud seemed wrong and painful.

"Oh. No- uh- I got sick and the surgery I had-" his head dropped to the floor as though he was suddenly very interested in his feet. "There was a tumor they found during a scan after the accident- they went in and got it out and forgot to turn the lights back on."

He gave a small humorless laugh just before the room fell into a stunning silence.

"Auggie- I'm sorry- I shouldn't have asked-"

"What- no-" he interrupted quickly, looking up to face her. Both parties blushing like baboon's bums.

The awkward stuttering being batted between the two made Annie want to run for the hills but at the same time it glued her to her seat. Her fingers flew to her mouth and she chewed at the protein of her nails. Her mother would be appalled but Annie was beyond caring. For the first time- at least since she asked her sixth grade teacher what an orgasm was- she regretted her curiosity, wishing that she could just swallow the words back into her stomach.

"No one's ever- I mean- I've never had to talk about how it happened," he murmured, "Everyone who knows me already knows and everyone else- well, they don't have the balls to ask."

She nodded her head mutely. Unsure.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, tossing his hands up. "I was supposed to ask you something."

"Oh? Ask away," the words rushed from her mouth, anxious to change the subject.

"Halloween's on Saturday and Corrine always has this thing at her house," he rambled, "Every year we go trick-or-treating and after we go to her house, watch scary movies until an absurd hour, eat junk food. It's not a big thing, just the closest of us, but she wants you to come. Will you?"

A strangely wonderful feeling crept inside Annie's stomach. Just the closest, he'd said. She was a part of that, the closest, for the first time. It was hard to decide though, which was making her heart race more, the fact that she was finally apart of something intimate or the hopeful look in Auggie's eyes.

"Oh," she smiled, "I would love to."

"Great," he grinned, his smile back in it's rightful place, "Jamie and I will walk to your house and we can go from there to Corrine's."

"Sweet," she was excited, she could feel it in ever bone in her body, the electricity of belonging, "Do I need a costume?"

"Nah," he smiled a fiendish, knowing grin and Annie wondered what she'd gotten in to, "Just bring something comfortable for the movies. Corrine's got the rest."

Those last words were enough to make Annie horrified and thrilled at the same time, like the moment before jumping from a plane, but it didn't matter. Corrine was the mother spider and, for whatever reason, she was weaving Annie into a web of beautifully dysfunctional teenagers and her venom gave her such a high that she felt that she would never come down. But the greatest thing? She didn't want to.

xXx

The smile hadn't left Annie's lips as she walked through the kitchen door, the day had been one to celebrate and she would do just that with a heaping spoonful of soul soothing Cherry Garcia from the two men in her life. Ben and Jerry. Dropping her things beside the door, she made a beeline for the freezer, reveling in the sweet air that cooled her cheeks as she opened the door.

"Someone looks happy," her mother's voice said from behind.

Annie spun- Cherry Garcia in hand- to see her mother sitting at the kitchen table. She had completely overlooked the woman in her rush to creamy bliss. The woman smiled knowingly at her daughter and gave Annie that gaze that enticed her to sit with her and spill her soul. And so she did.

"I'm very happy mom," Annie sighed as she sat across from her mother at the small round table. "I got an A on my history paper, my homework is finished, and I have been invited to spend Halloween with- get this- _friends_."

Her mother pretended to pout, her blue eyes wide and puppy-like.

"You mean you're not going to be our Igor this year? Who's Dr. Frankenstein and the monster without Igor?"

"Oh mom," Annie rolled her eyes, "I'm sure you and your monster will survive without me."

"I'm sure we will," she smiled again, wrinkling the corners of her eyes, "I'm glad you've got plans, Annie, I really am. You seem to be getting along well here?"

There was more to that question and Annie knew her mother could see the change in her these past few days. Catherine Walker was nothing if not observant.

"Yes, I am. This new group of _friends _is really- different from the other schools," she replied thoughtfully, "They're so much more- real."

"Hmm. So, who is this friend who's been helping you study," she questioned casually, her eyes shining with flawlessly feigned innocence.

"His name is August and he is just a boy blessed with enough patience to guide me through algebra," she answered coyly, though inwardly she was questioning her choice of words. Just a boy, yea sure, and she was the Queen of England.

"That's very sweet of him, taking the time for you," her mother smirked. God, she was as bad as Danielle. "Will he be celebrating Halloween with you?"

"Yes, mother, if you must know," Annie sighed dramatically.

"When can I meet him," she asked excitedly, like a child asking for a lollipop.

"Calm down, mom, he's not my boyfriend," Annie rolled her eyes and went to retire her ice-cream to the freezer, "I've only known him for a week or so."

"You mean he hasn't asked you out yet," there was surprise in the woman's voice.

"Mom!"

"What, I'm just asking. Has he kissed you?"

"Mother! Your imagination is hyperactive!"

"Well Annie, if you would give me more to go on, I wouldn't have to use my imagination, now would I?" the woman argued, standing from her chair as her daughter made for the stairs.

"He's just a friend, mom," Annie groaned.

"Oh, don't lie to me Anne Catherine Walker," her mother teased. "You like him, I can see that smile on your face."

"Goodnight, mother," she moaned, though she couldn't stop the smile that curled her lips.

"I'll make spaghetti when he comes to dinner," Catherine called as her daughter closed the door to her room, shouting one final goodnight.

It was unbelievable, the change in her youngest child. She could see the curve of her figure deepening, the shape of her mouth soft and contoured, her face thinning and forming into something so beautiful that she could feel her heart stutter with pride. But most of all, Catherine could see her daughter's wounded heart reshaping into a resilient and strong soul. A woman's soul.

With a soft smile, she turned out the kitchen lights and made her way to the living room where her husband slept slack-jawed in his chair. Gently she kissed his head and he stirred awake.

"Humph." he grumbled, rubbing a hand across his eyes and looking up to his wife. "Is everything alright?"

He observed her face, the one he had fallen so madly for in his youth and still fell for every time their eyes met. Her cheeks were slightly damp, the blue lights of the television glinting off her skin and giving her away. Taking his hand in hers, she nodded.

"Everything's fine," she hushed, "Everything's wonderful."

xXx

The next couple of days were as a dream to Annie, days of walking through New Trier's halls arm-in-arm with her new best friend, his trust in her deepening farther than she trusted herself, the lunches surrounded by people who didn't question but accepted her as is and the after school banter between guys making half-sincere jokes about who would date her first. But as it was, there was something missing from the days leading to All Hallows Eve and that was Corrine's attention.

The girl was off in a world all her own, perking up only when necessary and retreating quickly back to her thoughts. Annie couldn't help but wonder if she'd done something wrong, stepped over the boundaries without realizing, but Corrine treated her no differently than before and regarded everyone with the same disinterest. No one else seemed to notice.

But that night, as Annie walked with Auggie and Jamie through Corrine's front door, the old Corrine was there to greet them.

"Jesus, where you guys been?" she asked with a fire in her eyes.

"We're two minutes late," Jamie muttered.

"Two minutes," Corrine exclaimed with bravado, "The nerve of you! And on a National Holiday!"

Auggie laughed and shook his head as Annie wondered at the bipolar girl. She was a scientific anomaly that couldn't be classified.

"The others are already here," she announced, leading them through the house, "We must get you clothed so that we may leave precisely at seven before the pixies steal all the good candy."

With wide eyes, Annie looked around the house, noticing a stark lacking of- well- warmth. The walls were sterile whites and startling blacks with blue hues thrown about to look stylish but there was nothing to suggest that a family lived there. Or anyone, for that matter. It lacked every bit of energy that pulsed from Corrine's skin and Annie felt a chill run down her spine.

They walked through the entryway and into a living room that looked much the same as the rest of the house, cold. On the couch, looking relaxed, sat Stu and Conrad who both chorused 'Annie!' as they walked into the room. Auggie's grip on her elbow tightened.

"I'm feeling the love," Jamie murmured just loud enough for Annie to hear. She chuckled.

"There is no time for chit-chat," Corrine declared in a mysterious voice, something about the dim lighting of the house and Corrine's dramatics made Annie thrum with anticipation and- was that fear? "I've already got your costumes prepared, waste no time in getting ready and I don't want to hear any complaining. You know what you signed up for."

A wicked smile curled on Corrine's lips as she handed paper bags to everyone and Annie gulped, having no idea what she had 'signed up for'. She wanted to punch Auggie for being so vague before.

After changing, Annie walked out of the bathroom with the intent to kill. Corrine had a sense of humor alright and tonight she would pay for it. But as Annie stepped back into the living room, she felt less inclined to complain. Standing before her was the most odd looking group of trick-or-treaters she had ever seen.

Stu looked adorable in the most nerdy attire she'd ever seen outside of chess club. He looked up at her and blushed immediately. Sitting on the couch was Conrad and Jamie, both dressed in black suits and ties with dress shoes and sunglasses, the CIA would be proud. And Corrine herself, sitting in an uncomfortable looking chair, was dressed in a bedraggled and flowing blue-grey dress, her face highlighted with shimmering powder, her lips a startling blue. The fading ghost of a girl.

"Ooh la la," Conrad grin as he looked over Annie, "You're by far the hottest Barbie doll I have ever seen."

"I thought so too," Corrine smiled devilishly, giving Annie a wink.

A frown creased Annie's forehead as she caught a glimpse of herself in the hall mirror, from the matching pink head band and low-cut shirt to the bubblegum pumps, she looked like a Mattel poster girl and she was far from happy about it.

"Really Corrine, a Barbie doll," she seethed.

"Oh come on, Annie, you look great," Conrad smiled obnoxiously from the couch, "I'd buy you off a shelf."

Jamie elbowed him hard in the side and Annie could have kissed him for it.

"I'm going to freeze," she whined, gesturing down to the pink miniskirt.

"Oh no you're not," Corrine replied breezily, brushing past Annie to a small closet. "Because I have this."

She pulled out a calf-length ivory fur coat that looked like something out of Vogue. Annie's eyes widened as she brushed her fingers over the beautiful coat.

"Oh, I can't wear that, what if I get something on it," Annie said in a hushed voice. Corrine regarded her seriously.

"It's alright, Annie," she smiled, "It's mine, and I'm never going to wear it in public. My mother thought that I would wear it to some gala we went to in New York but I disappointed her once again. I want you to wear it, it'll keep you warm."

With that she walked off, her bare feet carrying her with ease and grace and Annie was convinced that Corrine was in character, wearing a costume she knew all too well. Someone bumped into her from behind, sending her reeling forward in heels that she was nowhere near used to.

"Sorry," Auggie said automatically. She wondered how often that word escaped his mouth.

"Don't worry about it, it's just these heels-" she turned to see him, dressed in BDUs, brimmed hat and all. "Well hey there, soldier."

There was something about him in that costume that made Annie's heart do back flips behind her ribs. He smiled crookedly and she forgot entirely about how uncomfortable she was in heels.

"Alright my lovelies," Corrine exclaimed, "Into the night, we ride!"

xXx

The night felt magical as they walked through mobs of faeries and vampires, queens and ghosts. Even Annie started enjoying her role as Halloween Barbie. Corrine was a total loon, dancing and swirling ahead of them, sneaking up on groups of girls and making them scream as she shrieked behind them. At one point she even had Jamie and Conrad sneak up on an unsuspecting Jai Wilcox and take him into 'custody'. They all shared high fives for that one.

Once they'd exhausted the winding candy route, their bags heavy with sweets and plastic spiders, they made their way back to Corrine's house, weaving precariously through hoards of goblins, ghouls and witches.

"That was the best Halloween yet," Stu smiled as he threw his obnoxiously large nerd glasses on the couch, "The look on Jai's face was priceless."

"Ah," Corrine said in eerie serenity, appearing from a dark room to the left of the sitting area, "But the night is young yet, my friends."

Somehow in the five minutes they'd been home, Corrine had managed to change into sweats and white t-shirt, her bra still MIA, Annie noticed. In one hand a movie, the other a fifth of Vodka. Annie could feel her stomach tighten at the title. Paranormal Activity. A little voice in the back of her head urged her to go home, but she wouldn't.

Once everyone was comfortable in sweats and thick socks, they all piled onto Corrine's couch, burying themselves beneath pillows and blankets ready to lose their minds with fear. Annie, however, was not so ready and secured herself between Auggie and Conrad, gripping Auggie's hand so tight that she was sure she was hurting him. This is why she didn't do scary movies. Corrine passed around the Vodka and Annie took a long swig. Corrine smiled.

The wide screen television flared to life, the lights flickered out and already Annie could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

"Hey," Auggie said softly, "Don't freak out, I'm sure it won't be that bad."

Famous last words.

An hour into the movie and Auggie could feel the tension sizzling through the room. Everyone seemed too stunned to say anything, the only words spoken were curses that flew when a particularly loud scream raised the hair on their necks or a door slammed suddenly, even Jamie let a few fly. Jamie was never scared. But Auggie just sighed. This whole business why quite boring to him, it was one of those 'you have to see it to believe it' kind of movies and he had no use for those anymore. But there was one thing about this movie that he loved.

For the past sixty minutes, Annie had been pulling herself closer and closer to him, her small hands held securely around his arm, her face burying into his shoulder every once in awhile. He couldn't help but enjoy it. It made his heart stutter.

"Hey," Stu said suddenly, shakily, "Where's Corrine?"

"She's gone," Conrad whispered and paused the movie.

She had been laying across the floor in front of the couch, but now she was nowhere to be found. They all exchanged horrified looks, each one ready to bolt for the door. Auggie rolled his eyes. This was just like Corrine, she loved to thrill people because she was too out of it to be thrilled herself.

"You guys, come on," he said reasonably, "She's just screwing with you-"

A hair raising scream echoed through the house, clawing away the color from everyone's face.

"What the fuck was that," Jamie whispered harshly, standing from his seat to peer into the deep shadows past the kitchen entryway.

Annie was shaking beside him and he was sure that she might start hyperventilating soon.

"Corrine," he called through the house, standing with Jamie, "Cut it out, this isn't funny."

They all waited for an answer but they were met with silence.

"Man," Conrad said bravely, "Let's just go get her, I can't deal with this."

Footsteps thundered upstairs, a door slammed and another scream bellowed through the halls, emptying their lungs of oxygen, filling them with fear.

"Guys," Annie practically cried, "Let's just turn on the lights."

"R-right," Stu stuttered, "Yea, let's do that."

Stu ran to the light switch but as he reached for it a hand snaked around the corner and gripped his wrist. There was a collective scream throughout the room and a riotous laugh reverberated around the high ceiling.

"You guys are such babies!" Corrine laughed loudly, stepping around the corner and flicking the light switch. "Oh, and by the way, thanks for coming to my rescue guys!"

"Holy shit, Corrine, that was not funny," Conrad frowned, arms crossed against his broad chest.

"Oh come on, it's Halloween, not April Fools Day," she said smugly, "I wanted to hear you scream."

"We all screamed like little girls," Stu chuckled nervously. "And I think I peed myself."

Everyone looked at one another and broke into laughter, mocking their own ridiculousness. Well, almost everyone. The front door shut suddenly and everyone turned towards it.

"Annie," Auggie sighed, headed for the door, "Nice Corrine."

"What?"

But he was already gone.

xXx

The shaking in her hands wouldn't seem to go away, even as she sat outside of the house and took in fresh air. The fear was still too close to her, crawling in the deepest layers of her skin. She couldn't get the screaming out of her mind, the terror in those high-pitched notes as they all stood helplessly in the living room. Annie had been sure that something had happened to Corrine, something unspeakable. It made her so angry that everyone could laugh it off and joke around after something like that when she was still wide-eyed and breathless, angry with herself.

She didn't look up when she heard the door open and close, staring instead at the crescent moon, trying to shut down the remnants of fear still poisoning her blood. The things that had happened in that house tonight were things she couldn't have dreamed up in her worst nightmares and she knew that it would be a long while before she would sleep peacefully again.

She hated Corrine.

"Annie," Auggie's voice said quietly, "You alright?"

"Yea, I'm fine," she answered, her voice unsteady. "I've never done horror films well."

The laugh she gave was weak but as Auggie took a seat beside her on the first step, she felt so many worlds better. His strong arm wrapped around her shoulders and she leaned into him.

"Don't worry about it, even I was a little freaked out," he soothed, "Hell, I didn't even know guys could scream like that. I thought I'd stepped into a sorority house."

Annie laughed for real and turned to look at him, he seemed perfectly relaxed, his hand rubbing circles in her back. Auggie definitely knew how to use those magical powers.

"I looked pretty weak in there, didn't I," she asked, her cheeks flushing slightly. She didn't want the other's to think she was a baby, that she was sensitive. "It's just that it bothered me and-"

Her words were cut off by the feel of Auggie's hand on her neck, just below her jaw, his beautiful face moving in slow motion towards her own. A warm mouth pressed into her own, soft but firm as the skin of a fresh pear. Immediately, she melted into the kiss, her eyes fluttering closed, her heart beating frantically in her chest. Her arms crawled around his neck and his hands cupped her jaw, pulling one another closer. She was so near to him now that she could feel his thudding heart beating wildly against her own. This, this was magic.

Slowly he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. She kept her eyes closed, reveling in his warmth, his touch, his presence. Everything else melted away, there was no fear, on this timid magnetism that grew between them.

"Your weakness is beautiful to me, Annie Walker," he whispered, his breath warm on her flesh.

God. Tonight may have been her worst nightmare, but it was absolutely her favorite worst nightmare.


	8. Savin Me

**AN**: all I have to say is, I'm sorry this is so epically late. And I really hope you guys enjoy it! Updates will be slow because this time of year is just... Anyways, thanks for staying with me! You guys are amazing!

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer**: Need I state the obvious?

Let me know what you think!

* * *

**Savin' Me**

To Annie's eyes, the next few days were both wonderful and strange. To nearly every class she and Auggie walked hand in hand, no matter how out of their way it took them, and every day before lunch they would walk with arms linked to their favorite table. The way he touched her and smiled at her made her feel like her feet were leaving the ground, like her heart would escape her chest, like she could be happy forever, like she was finally over Ben. That very thought shocked her. She had spent so many months of her life dedicated to making Ben happy that when he left she didn't know what to do with herself. But this, what she had with Auggie, was different. It was easy and comfortable and altogether right. Yet, though she couldn't put her finger on it, there was still something in the way.

She gazed at him from her seat at the table, zoning herself out in his warm eyes. She couldn't help but wonder if she should tell him about her previous love interest, after all, Ben was the first and only one she ever gave herself to. It seemed only fair. Then again, they weren't even calling themselves boyfriend-girlfriend yet. Maybe it wasn't time. It was just that she felt so close to uncovering something brilliant between herself and Auggie that the thought of screwing things up was terrifying.

"What do you think, Annie," the voice belonged to Stu, his dark brown eyes waiting expectantly for an answer, in fact, everyone at the table seemed to be looking at her.

"Oh, what was the question," she asked sweetly, hoping no one would realize that she'd been ogling her potential boyfriend.

"New York, concert, two weeks? Ring any bells?"

"Right, the concert," she replied, trying to sound like she understood when honestly she had no idea what he was talking about.

"She has no idea," Auggie chuckled, "She was too busy staring at me."

He gave a wink in her general direction and she immediately felt all the blood in her body rushing to her cheeks. Beneath the table he gave her leg a squeeze.

"Right," Stu smiled impishly before continuing, "We want to go to this concert in New York with the break time we'll have before Thanksgiving. It'll just be us so it's going to be pretty rad, I mean, it also gives the opportunity to go on a road trip. Seriously, it couldn't be any more perfect."

Stu's enthusiasm made Annie feel enthusiastic and she wondered if her parents would let her go, she was all about adventures.

"I say this idea is a win," Conrad announced, "I'm in, we could take my SUV too, that way we won't have to take multiple cars. Plus, GPS!"

"Exactly, man," Stu's smile was so wide, Annie was sure that it would soon split his face. "And if we switch out drivers then we can definitely make it there in one day, we'll split gas and rooming!"

"Hold the phone," Annie interjected, earning amused looks for her vintage euphemism, "I think we're overlooking one of the most important questions here. Who's playing?"

"Only the best artists in existence," Auggie answered, the excitement in his eyes making her smile, "Lost in the Trees is going to be there, Fink, Alanis Morissette and, the best for last, a Mingus tribute group called The Hounds."

"Auggie is obsessed with Mingus," Jamie grinned, rolling his eyes, "That's how he found this thing; he's on The Hounds' email list."

Email? Annie had never really thought of Auggie as a computer guy, he never talked about it and she couldn't honestly say she knew how it was possible for someone without sight to use a computer. A seed of doubt was planted then, how well did she really know this boy? Between his obsession with Mingus and love of technology, she was 0-2. But she was going to change that.

"Sounds great," she decided. It didn't matter how her parents felt about this 'compromising position', as they were sure to call it. She, Anne Catherine Walker, was going to New York with August Anderson.

"Awesome," he smiled at her, that smile he saved only for her. His gaze wandered towards Corrine then, his voice strangely soft, as though if he reached a certain decibel she would shatter. "What say you, Corrine?"

Annie turned to the other girl who was vigorously writing in the journal she'd so desperately been clinging to these past two weeks. Each day she seemed to be more drawn in, like whatever she was writing was swallowing her whole. It was so strange to see the girl silent, save the constant scratch of her ballpoint. Normally she would be the one making the plans and now she couldn't even bother listening to them. There was something so wrong about her that Annie had forgotten about the Halloween shenanigan.

"Hmm," was her reply as she slowly looked up from her writing with her bottom lip lodged in her mouth. Annie couldn't help but notice how tired she looked, how worn. She was pale like a blanket in the sun for too long; this world had bleached her out.

"Do you want to come to the concert? It's in two weeks, it'll be fun," Auggie encouraged. Such a good friend.

"Sure, baby," she smiled tiredly and went back to her work.

For a long moment the table was quiet, watching Corrine with concern and bemusement, but soon life continued and more plans began brewing in the minds of Stu, Conrad and Jamie. But Annie's attention fell back to Auggie. He was lost in his thoughts and once again she found that she was falling in love with a stranger.

xXx

There was singing in the kitchen the next morning and Corrine stood just outside the kitchen to listen. It was a beautiful song, one that pulled up the happiest memories of her short life and her mother was just so beautiful when she sang. From her hiding place, Corrine watched the woman as she moved about the kitchen, her long hair glinting in the sun and thin legs prancing about, dancing. Tears pooled in Corrine's eyes, this was her mother, not that ice queen who possessed her for 364 days of the year. And even though the Schnapps bottle sat a quarter empty on the island, all that mattered was the smile on her mother's face.

"Morning, mom," she said softly as she stepped into the pale early morning light.

The woman spun around, smiling widely at her only daughter, her bright green eyes like lamps. No trace of ice there. She rushed to embrace her with thin arms, pulling her so close that Corrine could smell her shampoo. It had been a full year since they had been this close and she'd forgotten how good it felt.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," she whispered, stroking Corrine's cheek and holding her at arm's length, "You look beautiful this morning, Corrine. I know I haven't told you in a while, but you really are. You remind me so much of me when I was your age. Oh! Would you like some breakfast? I made Christopher's favorite, banana pancakes!"

Something in Corrine's chest withered a bit.

"Sure," she smiled half-heartedly. "I'd love some."

"You know," her mother continued, blind to her child's distress, "I remember all those birthdays when Chris had to pull you out of bed. He would come downstairs and give his love. Your father's heart, he was. His happiness. Such a good little boy and you- always so _difficult_."

She looks at Corrine with desperate eyes and Corrine could hear her heart pounding behind her ears, she knew that look and she would have given anything to make it go away. No. This time she would face it.

"Mom," she steeled herself, preparing to hear the words she knew had been on the tip of her mother's tongue for three long years. "Do you wish I had died instead?"

Slowly, her mother approaches, staring into Corrine's identical eyes, tears flooding her own. Her long thin fingers brushed through Corrine's hair, her swimming green eyes staring intently at the gold-brown locks. She looks back at her daughter, holding her gaze in silence for a long time.

"Corrine, I-"

"Just answer me, mother," Corrine cut her off, her voice like the dead.

"Yes," the woman moaned, Her wracking sobs resounded through lifeless house, masking the sound of Corrine's heart breaking in half.

It's anger that hits her first, something she hasn't allowed herself to feel in a long time. In a blur she finds herself up the stairs, her mother's voice echoing empty apologizes after her, but her cries fall on deaf ears. Corrine stared at the girl in the bathroom mirror and saw someone unrecognizable. An adult. All her life she had been vying for mommy's approval but the cold hard truth had punched her in the chest. She would never have it, because it had already been given away.

There were scissors in her hand, though she wasn't sure when she picked them up. But they were the key, the key to the beginning of change and one so desperately needed. With trembling hands, she lifted the scissors to her head, pulling a handful of wheat gold hair towards the twin blades. For eighteen years she hadn't been allowed to cut her hair, her mother forebode it and Corrine complied. No more. With a satisfying snick her hair fell into the sink.

A smile curled her mouth, her eyes bright with wonder at what she had done. Vehemence so strong had grown inside of her and it couldn't be stopped. Finally she was allowing herself to feel the anger she felt towards her mother for breaking, her father for hiding, her best friend for being so damn good and her brother for leaving her alone on her birthday. But most of all, anger at letting herself go, for believing she wasn't good enough and for hating her dead twin brother for taking her parents' love with him.

But she realized that she didn't have to anymore, she could look back on him and love him like he loved – loves – her and why? Because she didn't need her parents to survive even though she would always love them.

This time when she looked in the mirror she saw someone she had been longing to find for a long time. Herself. Finally unmasked from her desperate need for approval and her hatred and her grief. Finally, she could see.

She glanced down at the sink filled with gold, the bonds broken at last. Back up to the mirror and a laugh is yanked from her gut, the most honest thing she's ever heard come out of her mouth. She likes it, so much that she can't stop. That funny girl named Corrine looks at her with a smile and hair that hardly makes it past her chin. She feels like dancing, liking singing in the streets and running for days. But then a feeling sinks to her stomach, solid as a stone. She knows what she must do. Not now, but soon and she knows that it's going to hurt. Only for a while. But it's going too fast for her to stop it now like a boulder rolling down a hill, she can only hope she doesn't leave too much destruction in her wake.

Her smile fades a bit as she stares at this new person, it's been easy so far, after all, she had been so close to the edge already. It wouldn't be like that forever but for now, she would take it.

xXx

It was impossibly difficult for Auggie to get out of bed that morning, it wasn't fatigue, it wasn't the pain between his shoulders or the fact that he'd neglected his physics homework. It could only be described as longing on steroids. There was a time, a life time ago, that he was happy without condition, when everyday felt like Friday and laughter was the tongue of the nations. That was in the distant past, a life style no longer welcome and yet the very memory of it was what was keeping him hidden tightly beneath his covers.

Christopher James Morgan was the missing piece of that fantastic puzzle, the one right in the middle that, no matter how long or hard you search, you just can't find and your puzzle will never be complete. Chris's death was just the straw that broke the camel's back. After he passed, Auggie was in the accident, then he was sick with a brain tumor, his sight was gone, Mr. Morgan left home, Mrs. Morgan broke in two, and Corrine shattered. It was then that Auggie bottled everything up and put a stopper in feeling anything deemed unnecessary. But that damn bottle was ready to burst, he could feel it shaking and swelling and cracking in his chest.

"Son," there were three knocks on the door preceding his father's voice, he meant business. "It's time for school."

"Yea, I'm on it," he groaned at the door, throwing off his comforter and dragging his hands across his face.

Maybe today wouldn't be so bad, he could feel the heat of the sun peeking through his curtains, hear the birds outside his window, and his back wasn't killing him. Aw, who was he kidding? It was Corrine's birthday and worse, it was Chris's. Corrine was always a mess on their birthday and why should this one be any different? College couldn't come soon enough, when he could shed all these woes and he felt badly for thinking it. The guilt cycle was endless. A shower would melt some of this away, definitely. But, much to his disdain, his warning alarm went off, officially telling him that he had ten minutes to get downstairs before Jamie left for school. Damn. So it was one of those days. Bring it on.

Despite the carpet tripping him up on the way out, the car door catching him in the shin and nearly throwing himself down a flight of cement stairs, there was a part deep down inside of Auggie that was looking forward to school and there was only one logical explanation for that. Annie Walker would be there waiting for him.

"Man, you're a freaking mess today," Jamie laughed as Auggie tripped over his untied shoelace. "You sure you don't want me to walk with you to class, you know, just so I know that you've made it there without losing a leg or something?"

"I'm good," Auggie shook his head incredulously, "Annie will be waiting in the foyer anyways."

"So you guys are getting pretty serious then," Jamie asked and Auggie could hear the notes of something extra in his voice.

"Yea," he said slowly, his fingers pausing on his shoe strings. "Why?"

"No reason."

Jamie's voice was stoic as usual but Auggie could hear it, that smile in his voice as his footsteps carried him away. It made Auggie smile too. He stood after tying his shoe more securely this time – and checking the other one for good measure – pulling his cane from his back pocket but, just as he was about to unfold it, the all too familiar sound of cowboy boots reached his ears. He took a big calming breath, preparing himself for whatever she had in store for him this year.

"Hey," she said from behind him.

Something about her voice was different, but he couldn't figure out what.

"Hi," was all he could manage.

"Do you have a minute to talk," she asked, "I have something I want to tell you."

"Uh, sure," he couldn't help but notice his inability to come up with more than two syllables.

"Right, okay," he could hear her shifting but was surprised when she didn't go for a cigarette, "Jesus. You know I'm not good with words or anything, so I'm just going to go for this.

"These past three years and even before then, have been really hard on the both of us but especially you because you've actually been trying to deal and, well, I haven't and you sort of tried to deal for me too and I'm sorry for that and so much else. But anyways, that's really not the point. The point is that all my life you have been there for me and I've taken advantage of that so many times and I mean, even though I think you enjoy it a little, I'm not going to let you save me anymore, August, because I realize the only one who can save me is myself.

"So- are we good?"

It was hard to swallow, everything she'd said and so quickly. His head was spinning, trying to process the mounds of information and he had to reach out for the car beside him to keep from falling on his ass.

"Whoa," he breathed, gathering up the words he wanted to say. This all seemed too good to be true. Who was this girl and where was Corrine? "I-"

"I know this is a lot to take in," she interjected, saving him from stumbling across the English language. "But I realize that I have been a really shitty friend to you and I want that to change. You deserve the best and a best friend that can give you that. Now, I'm not giving up that position, mind you, but I'm going to do a hell of a better job than I have been."

"Corrine," Auggie interrupted before she could load anymore on him, "I don't know what to say, I mean, where is this coming from, what-"

"I know it's confusing," she says softly, laying her hand on his shoulder. Subconsciously he placed his own on top of hers. "I just need you to know, that I'm okay. I learned a lot about myself this morning, some shit hit me – a little late – but it hit me and I hate who I was and what I was doing to both of us. And I'm sorry."

Auggie knew that his mouth was hanging open and that he probably looked like an invalid, but he was at a loss. It was like a philosophical alien had taken over his best friend's body. Not that he was complaining, but still.

"Oh, and one more thing…"

It was a good thing that he was holding onto the car, because what happened next felt like a damn earthquake. All at once she was on him; her mouth warm and plush was pushing into his, her nose pressing softly into his cheek and her lashes tickling his skin, the smell of vanilla and strawberries and everything that made Corrine his Corrine and all he could do was allow his body to respond. It was almost like he was out of sync; he could feel his hands pressing into the small of her back, pulling her in closer, his lips catching hers hungrily. For fourteen years he'd been waiting for this moment, shoving his feelings down because he knew she didn't share them but now that they were here, there was only one thing on his mind. Annie.

He took an unsure step backwards, keeping Corrine close but not too close, both parties breathing softly, like nothing at all had happened.

"You should know that I love you, August," she whispered, her lips still grazing his flesh, "I always have and I always will and don't you ever forget that."

With that she pulled away, her boots crunching on the gravel. He leaned against the car, a strange feeling settling in his stomach. For some reason everything that just happened felt too much like goodbye. Though he wasn't sure what he was saying goodbye to.

"Damn," he murmured, a smile yanking his lips upward. "I've got to find Annie."

xXx

Worry was starting to nag at the back of her mind, they were usually walking to class by now. It wasn't like them – especially Jamie – to be late for school. Annie stood from her seat on the uncomfortable foyer bench – Auggie always teased that even a homeless person wouldn't sleep on those benches – and went outside, hoping to see Jamie's car in the parking lot. A sigh of relief passed through her when she saw Jamie, though it dissipated almost immediately when she noted that Auggie was still MIA.

"Hey Jamie," she called, rushing to meet him at the steps, "How are you?"

"I'm great, Annie," he gave a little knowing smile and nodded towards the parking lot, "He's just a little behind, but he's here."

"Oh, thanks," she smiled, Jamie was always so nice to her, quiet, but nice.

"And Annie," he called, an afterthought, "Look out for him today, will you? He's a little… off."

"Sure," she replied, somewhat confused, to say the least. What did he mean by off?

In her TOMS, she trotted down the steps and into the parking lot. As soon as she reached the lined pavement she could see him talking to a girl who looked a lot like Corrine from this distance. It dawned on her then, it was Corrine. Corrine with short, messy hair. It was so different and yet, she looked more like herself than Annie had ever seen her.

She couldn't help but notice that Auggie looked a bit uncomfortable and Corrine looked a bit- sober? Annie couldn't put her finger on it but there was something very different about the girl – aside from the obvious, of course. She bit her lip, resisting the urge to go down there but she couldn't make herself do it, she didn't want to intrude. And then the world started ripping itself apart.

It felt like she'd been hit by a car, the shock of it stealing the breath from her lungs. They were kissing. Tears pooled in her eyes and she wiped them away though they came back just as quickly.

When they pulled away she hoped that Auggie would push her away, or yell at her or something – anything – but he didn't. They stayed close, intimate and Annie thought that she would be sick. And then, the icing on the cake, as Corrine walked away, he smiled. Dammit, he smiled!

The world jerked beneath her feet and it was all she could do to keep from falling. How could he do that to her? Had this past week meant nothing to him? Anger and disappointment boiled in her chest and she thought she would explode with it. She'd thought he would be different, she'd trusted him, opened up to him and he betrayed her. At least now she knew what was in the way.

He wasn't different. He was just another goddamned Ben Mercer.


	9. Two Planets

**_Author's Note_**:  
Well look at that... I'm on time with posting! Hooray!  
I should try this more often!  
Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's quite angsty but I love angst and its a lead up to some issues that need to be faced.  
I will do my best to get the next chapter soon!  
And Kudos to whoever can guess the artist of the song I used for the title!

**_Disclaimer_**: I don't own Auggie, Annie, Stu, Conrad or Jai but I own everything else! In yo' face!

* * *

**_Two Planets_**

By the time Annie made it to her locker, she was positively breathless, her heart pounding a heart attack in her chest. With trembling fingers, she spun her locker combination, having to try three times before getting it right. Everything just seemed so surreal, so wrong. A nightmare. It astounded her, how stupid she'd been, letting herself go like that. It felt like there was a target on her back and she had been the one to put it there. Using the cover of her locker door, she shut her eyes and wiped away the tears that were rapidly drying in the chill high school atmosphere.

She felt spent, like all of her energy had been sapped from her skin. More than anything she wanted to scream, there was so much built up inside of her that she wasn't sure how much more she could handle before exploding. She slammed her locker door with a flourish, the metallic clash echoing up and down the near empty hallways. And there he was, heading towards her, still looking like the happiest boy on Earth. That was it, she couldn't take anymore.

Tears spilled down her face and she made no effort to stifle them, there was no one around to see. As she brushed past him, he stopped and turned towards her retreating form.

"Annie," he called, sounding confused, maybe even hurt.

But Annie was dying inside, she couldn't care less if he was _hurt_. She burst through the doors to the girls' bathroom and hastily locker herself in a stall, hitting and kicking the metal walls because she had no other way to get out what she was feeling.

Not two minutes later and she heard the bathroom door open and Auggie's cane sliding across the tiles. She rolled her eyes- the last thing she wanted was to have a talk with the _second_ boy who fooled her. And this one hurt so much more.

"Annie," he knew she was in there and Annie knew that she couldn't pretend otherwise, "Come on, I know you're in here, you may as well talk to me. What's wrong?"

"How can you ask me that," she choked out, her voice catching painfully on the lump in her throat.

"Annie," he sighed, "I really don't know what you're upset about."

She could feel him leaning on the other side of the stall and she wondered if he could feel her heart pounding straight through to his side.

"Oh I get it, you think I'm stupid because I'm blonde, right," she grumbled, "Well I'm not and I-"

"Wait a second," he cut in, "Oh damn, you saw, didn't you?"

The sound of realization in his voice cut her to pieces, had he honestly not thought of that? Did she really mean that little to him that he couldn't even connect the neon dots flashing in front of his face?

"Yes I saw," she practically yelled, "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Tell you what," he retorted, "That kiss meant nothing, Annie. Nothing!"

"Oh god, you do think I'm stupid! I saw you, Auggie, I saw the look on your face after you kissed her, I'm not blind!"

Her words bounced off the cinderblock walls and she sucked in her bottom lip. This anger surprised her, she wasn't used to feeling this way, to yelling at people she- she _cared_ about.

"I know," he said softly, "Just let me explain, I-"

The bathroom door opened again and Annie could hear someone gasp on the other side, no doubt shocked by the sight of Auggie standing in the girls' bathroom seemingly having a conversation with himself. Were she not so angry, she would have laughed.

"Auggie," the girl's shock wore off and Annie couldn't help but feel disgusted by the fact that the girl accepted the fact that he was in there simply because he lacked one of five senses. Like that was an excuse! He knew perfectly well where he was. "Oh god, you realize you're in the girls' room, right?"

"Bea, I-"

"Do you need help, I can walk you to the boys' room if you like, it's right-"

"Bea," Auggie said more assertively, "I'm not lost, I'm trying to have a private conversation here."

With a sigh, Annie stepped out of her stall.

"Annie!" Bea exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize- Hey, are you okay?"

"Yea," Annie mumbled, "I'm fine, we were just talking."

"Oh, sorry."

She gave a weak smile and backed out of the bathroom, leaving Auggie and Annie alone once again. What a mood killer. Annie found that she was hardly even angry anymore, just disappointed. Just sad.

"Just answer two questions for me," she said before he could get another word in.

"Okay," he surrendered, his shoulders collapsing in defeat.

"You kissed Corrine?"

"She kissed me," he argued.

"And you let her," she all but whispered.

"It just happened, it was just a reaction," he groaned but she'd heard all she needed to know.

"That's all I needed to hear," she said shortly, brushing past him to leave.

"Annie," he called desperately, "Please, let me explain what happened! There's so much more than that that you're ignoring!"

"I saw what happened, August, so save your breath," she retorted, "Just leave me be."

xXx

The car engine faded to nothing and immediately he felt stranded. There he was at Annie's front door, no back up, no script, just real life happening right in front of him. The best he could hope for was that her father wouldn't be home. With timid steps, he tapped his way to her front door and found the bell, pressing the button jerkily. Were he anymore nervous he would pass out on the spot.

The front door creaked open and Auggie put a smile on his face, trying his best to not look terrified. From the perfume he surmised that it was Annie's mother. So far, so good.

"Hello," she said brightly, it was strange how much Annie sounded like her mom, "Can I help you?"

"Uh, hi, Mrs. Walker," he cleared his throat, "I'm Auggie Anderson and I was wondering if Annie is home? I kind of need to talk to her."

"Oh, yes!" She said, sounding even more friendly than before, "Please, come in!"

The warmth her voice held eased some of his nerves and he followed his cane over the threshold, taking a few steps inside. It was comfortable in the Walker house, a pleasant escape from the icy air of the great outdoors.

"If you come into the sitting room, I'll go get Annie from her room," she said, touching his arm lightly, "Would you like to take my arm?"

The question caught him off guard, most people didn't ask him that, they just assumed and dragged him around. It was nice, her courtesy, though he still felt heat slithering behind his ears.

"Thank you," he smiled lightly, allowing her to guide his hand to her elbow.

She was soft, her steps light and her perfume like flowers, motherly. The echoes that bounced around above his head told him that the house was large and somewhat empty but it was strangely peaceful and quiet. Mrs. Walker took his hand and placed it on what felt to be a suede couch and he took a seat once he made sure he was sitting on it and not beside it. He'd done that one before and it wasn't fun.

"Make yourself comfortable," she said as her bare feet slapped away on the wooden floors, "I'll go get Annie."

As he waited he folded up his cane and placed it beside his messenger bag on the couch, taking in his surroundings by listening to where Mrs. Walker had gone. He knew that the stairs were to his left and the front door left and back, the kitchen just to his right and forward or so the swooshing dishwasher told him. He laid back his head and slowly took in a deep breath, trying to settle his vibrating nerves. It seemed the balance in the world had been restored, Corrine was off his case and functioning like a person but now Annie had him on her hit list.

There was some thumping upstairs and a muffled voice yelling. He squeezed his eyes shut, this had been a mistake, he should never have come here. He leaned his elbows on his knees as he pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes, his ears prickling as he tried to listen in to what was going on upstairs but there was nothing.

Finally, quick footsteps met his ears and he looked up- a recycled habit- but it wasn't Annie.

"She'll be down in a moment, Hun," Mrs. Walker said, sounding somewhat flustered though still friendly, "She's just getting dressed."

"Thanks," he mumbled, unsure of what else to say.

It wasn't much longer that he had to wait before he could hear Annie's footsteps or rather, what he assumed to be Annie's footsteps. Though he could certainly feel her eyes boring into his skin. He waited for her to speak only because he didn't know what to say.

"I want to talk to you," she said softly, perching herself on the arm of the couch he was occupying, "But not here. Will you take a walk with me?"

He was relieved that she didn't yell at him but this quiet seriousness of her tone set him on edge. But he would take it, at least she was talking.

"Yea, of course," he stood and took her arm after she signaled him with a tap on the back of his hand, it was another thing he loved about her. He didn't have to teach her about his blindness, she figured things out on her own, learned by observation.

For a long while they didn't talk, just walked as evening fell and the air grew cold. Yes, he had planned to spend his Friday night with Annie but no, he didn't expect it to be bound by stale silence. There was tension between the two, like two planets in orbit, attracted by nature but always keeping one another at a distance lest disaster take place.

She paused for a moment and took a step down, he followed suit, unfortunately, she forgot to warn him about the step back up.

"Sorry," she mumbled as he used her for support to right himself.

For a moment he considered using his cane, just to make himself more comfortable but no, he trusted Annie, they were both just distracted.

"Look, are we going to talk about this," he asked finally, frustrated by the prolonged silence. These were the times when he hated being unable to read people's faces. "I can tell that you're still unhappy."

"Unhappy," she laughed mirthlessly, "Well, that's one way of putting it."

She threw her arms up and Auggie let her go, might as well let her get it out.

"If you let me explain, you'll understand," he reasoned, trying to keep his voice calm.

"No! I've heard and seen quite enough," she replied, her voice bordering on hysteria, "No, I just want you to listen, to understand why this time things are going to be different."

"This time," he puzzled, feeling rather confused.

"Yes, this time," she sighed and he could hear her pacing. "In my entire life, I've only had one long term, amazing, perfect relationship. His name was Ben and I was his world and he was mine. My father didn't like him, he didn't understand because Ben was older than me by a few years, but my dad, he just didn't get it! Ben loved me! So of course, it didn't matter what dad said because I knew better, little sixteen year old me just knew.

"Ben was so much to me, he took care of me, made me feel at home, showed me a good time. We did everything together. By the time we'd been together for a month or two, I knew that I loved him, that he would stay with me forever. He was going to move away with me to college because he would have graduated from UCLA by then. Next thing I knew and we were in bed," her voice broke and so did Auggie's heart, "It was beautiful but when I woke up the next morning- he was gone!"

It was quiet, painfully quiet but just as Auggie was going to say something – anything – Annie continued, her voice just over a whisper.

"The next time I saw him was almost a month later, he was with a woman, and when I tried to talk to him- I couldn't even yell at him because I thought it had all been a mistake- he pretended that he didn't know me!"

"I'm so sorry, Annie," Auggie whispered, no wonder she was so angry, so hurt by what she saw, it had ripped open a past wound. "But that's-"

"I gave him the only thing that was truly mine and he ruined it," she yelled, the cool air holding her voice above their heads. "When you came along I thought things would be different, you were more gentle, less silky, and funnier. And when you kissed me I was the happiest girl in the world. But then _you_ went and ruined it."

She made a noise that screamed her frustration and he could hear her footsteps pulling away from him. A bubble of panic formed in his throat but he wasn't sure why. He couldn't help but feel like he'd forgotten something.

"Annie," he all but yelled, "What you saw, was not what you thought it was! I'm not trying to avoid you, to pretend I don't know you! That's not what I want, I just need to explain!"

"You're just another Ben Mercer," she yelled back, it sounded like she was on the other side of the street, "I will not let that happen to me again because- because I'm worth more than your games!"

"I'm not Ben, Annie!"

She didn't answer him, in fact, he couldn't even hear her footsteps anymore. That bubble of panic in his chest burst.

"Annie," he yelled but to no avail.

He took a deep breath, there was no need to panic, he could find his way back all he needed was his-

With almost frantic hands, he searched for his cane in the bottom of his leather bag but he couldn't find it. Cold swept through his body and gathered in his head, making him feel dizzy. He didn't have it, he'd left it at Annie's house on the couch! It was something he'd been doing a lot of lately, if he couldn't see it, he didn't remember it and this time it screwed him over.

Fear swallowed him all at once, he depended on his cane, it leashed him to the ground beneath him, told him which way was up and without it he was floating helplessly in the middle of nowhere. He felt out of breath, like he was drowning, his chest constricting painfully. He was going to be sick. All he could hear was the sound of his pulse behind his ears.

"Help me," he breathed, unable to find his voice.

The feeling of being lost made the ground pitch beneath his feet, this had never happened before, he didn't know what to do!

He took several steps, reaching out with wide arms for anything that would keep him from falling to pieces. Almost immediately his toes teetered on the edge of the curb but to him it was a cliff and just like that he was falling. His legs collapsed beneath him.

His hands shook violently as he dug his phone from his bag, he needed help. After several failed attempts at dialing he finally got it right and on the third ring the other side picked up.

"Hey, son," his dad said on the other side, "What's up?"

"Dad," he sounded panicked, the air rushing too quickly in and out of his lungs. He was hyperventilating. "You have to- you have to come get me-"

"Son, what's wrong, are you alright," his father's voice had turned serious, protective.

"No," he nearly cried, he'd never been alone like this, he'd never been so blind before, "I'm not. You have to help me-"

He couldn't get air into his lungs, the world was caving in around him.

"Where are you," his father demanded, the sound of his voice keeping Auggie afloat. "Where are you, son, I'll come get you."

"I- I don't know, I don't know where I am!"

"Alright, just breathe," his father understood now, what was wrong. "How did you get where you are?"

"I- I was at Annie's house and we- we took a walk- um-" he pushed through the clouds of his mind, knotting his fingers in his hair, trying to remember what direction they'd gone, he hadn't been paying attention. "We took a lef- no a right and we walked a while and we crossed- we crossed the street- Please, come get me!"

"I'm on my way," he answered assertively, his tone more calm now, trying to comfort his son, "I'm in the truck now, it will only take me a few minutes."

"Don't hang up," he cried, no longer able to keep his tears down, "Please don't leave me alone."

"Don't worry, August," his father said, trying to keep his own emotions at bay, "I'll never leave you alone. Never."

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**

Hooray!  
So, penny for your thoughts?


	10. O, Brother

_**A/N**_: This chapter surprised me. I hadn't expected it to go where it's gone. Anyways. It's very early and I'm very tired but I wanted to get this up. So here you have it, a terribly edited, somewhat rushed, chapter hot off the press. We're lucky to have it too, there for awhile I thought my netbook had died on me. R+R, I beg you!

Enough with the dramatics, here's the **DISCLAIMER**: I own everything with the exception of Auggie and Annie and a few other friends.

* * *

**_O, Brother_**

By the time he heard the monstrous engine of his father's F-350 turn around the corner, he wasn't scared anymore but far from it. August Anderson was angry. No, he was livid. For the past year and a half he'd worked so hard to be independent, to keep himself from having to hang on desperately to his friends' coattails, to have some semblance of his life back and here he was trapped because he didn't have a fucking piece of fiberglass to lead him around.

Sure, he was annoyed that Annie abandoned him but really, she just made him realize what was already there. The realization came and punched him hard in the face and he couldn't even fight back. He depended wholly on his cane; the world shrank down to a cylinder when he didn't have it, all he knew was the curb he was sitting on and what he could reach with his hands. It was the worst kind of cage imaginable. Himself. More than ever before he wished Corrine was there with her infamous pack of smokes, he needed the drug to creep beneath his skin and ease this anger.

The truck came to a stop and the door slammed just seconds later, his father's heavy work boots crunching on the pavement. Auggie was beginning to regret the decision to call his father but he'd panicked and there was no one better to go to for that.

"Son," his father called, and he could hear the man trying to choke down the emotion in his voice. "You alright?"

"Oh yea, dad," Auggie answered tightly, not moving from his perch on the painfully cold cement, "I'm peachy."

There was no answer to his snarky remark, only a couple more footsteps and a heavy hand on his shoulder as his father sat beside him.

"August, let's talk about this-"

"Talk about what," he retorted, not turning to his father but knitting his fingers in his disheveled hair, "Hmm? Should we talk about how fucking helpless I am without a stick to tap around or maybe we should talk about how I could walk in front of a car like a toddler and die without seeing it coming? Yea, dad, let's talk."

Something had possessed him, he had never talked to his father that way before, never acted this way before but then, maybe that was the problem. He had never faced these things before. And now he knew why, it hurt. The way his chest tightened at the fact that he would be facing this forever and it would never get any better, it was painful.

"Now you listen to me, boy," his father said firmly, turning him around so that they faced each other. Auggie didn't get why, he couldn't see him no matter which way he was facing, "It hasn't even been two years yet and look at everything you've done. You've learned Braille, you're about to finish high school, you're more independent than anyone expected you to be this soon. You've been so brave, August, and I'm so proud of you. We all have our weaknesses but you'll figure this out and I'm going to do everything I can to help you do that."

Auggie's jaw was tight and he could feel the tears gathering up in his worthless eyes. It was strange how he could feel them but they didn't change his vision, same with blinking, he could feel his eyelids sliding across his eyes but they made no difference whatsoever. He blinked the tears away, shrugged his father's hand from his shoulder and stood shakily. He was done talking, done feeling like shit. He would rather go back to ignoring it altogether, in fact, that was his plan exactly.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," he said quietly, his throat too tight to manage much else, "I want to go home."

With timid steps, he found his way back up the curb and a few paces closer to where he heard the truck engine shut off but he stopped there, waiting for his father to help him the rest of the way.

"Come on, Auggie," his father said, not moving from where he sat, "We- You need to talk this out, you were getting somewhere, don't give that up now. It's just you and me. No one else is listening, just let it out."

"Please," he managed, reaching out for his dad to take his arm, "Please, just take me home."

For several agonizingly long moments he stood that way, waiting for an invisible man to drag him away from this miserable corner. Finally his father's footsteps approached him and his arm brushed against Auggie's outstretched hand. Once he was buckled in the oversized hauling truck, Auggie leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes, allowing the familiarity of his father's vehicle to wash over him and ease some of his tension; sawdust, cigars, and pine tree air freshener so his mother wouldn't find out about the cigars.

"Where's your cane," his father asked as he buckled himself in, "You said you were at a friend's house-"

"Just leave it dad," Auggie shrugged.

"You'll need it for tomorrow," his father insisted and started up the diesel engine, "I'll just drive by and pick it up."

"Dad," Auggie almost shouted, he hated when people didn't listen to him, parent or not, "I said leave it! I have another one at home that mom got. It's fine."

The silence hung stale in the air and that was punishment enough, he shouldn't have spoken to his dad like that but his emotions were still raw. He took a deep breath then turned to his father, trying to look as apologetic as possible.

"So," he says in his best conversation voice, "What's going on tomorrow?"

"It's a surprise," his father answered cryptically, "You'll see in the morning."

"Awesome," Auggie said, unable to keep the bitterness from his tone.

Like he would see anything in the morning.

XXX

Before she even stepped foot in her house she knew she'd messed up, that she'd been unfair but she couldn't help it, she had to say it out loud before she imploded! The look on his face though, it haunted her still. Silently, she slipped into the house, hoping to avoid her mother and a bout of seriously unwelcome questions.

"Annie, Auggie?"

No such luck.

"I'm glad you're back I found this in the-" her mother stopped abruptly in the foyer when she saw that Annie was alone, her brown eyes wide, "Annie, where's Auggie?"

"We parted ways," she sighed, "We sort of had an argument about something that happened at school."

For the first time she noticed that her mother was holding something, and when she realized what it was, her heart dropped into her stomach.

"Annie, what did you do?"

Without a second thought, she snatched the object from her mother's hand and flew out the door, not even shutting it behind her. Dammit, Annie, she thought to herself, what the hell did you do? Tears pooled in her eyes as she ran towards where she left him, she had been so stupid and he probably wouldn't ever trust her again. How could she leave him there, cane or no? The thought of him never talking to her again burned hot in her chest and, cane in hand, she ran faster.

She rounded the corner and could see across the street where she had left him, it was in clear view but he was nowhere to be found. As fast as her feet would allow, she flew across the street and took a 360 but still she couldn't see him. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as fear clouded her mind, what had happened to him? Where did he go? No way he got too far.

Still scanning the immediate area, she whipped her cellphone from her pocket and dialed. She could have called Auggie but she doubted he would answer so she called Jamie.

"Hello," Jamie answered after two rings.

"Hey, Jamie," she said, trying not to sound out of breath, "Um, I was just wondering if Auggie was with you?"

"No, actually, but my dad left a while ago to pick him up," he said slowly, like he didn't quite understand why she would be calling him, "Is everything okay?"

A sigh of relief left her lungs in a whoosh and she smiled, Auggie was with his dad, everything was okay.

"Yea," she replied, her mind racing as she tried to figure out a valid excuse for calling Jamie instead of Auggie himself, "Uh, I just tried to call Auggie, he left something at my house but his phone was off so… But thanks, I'll get it to him tomorrow. Bye Jamie."

"No problem," he said casually before hanging up the phone.

Annie was exhausted, more emotionally than physically.

"I'm going to hell," she whispered, trying not to cry.

It was impossible to believe that she'd left a blind person on the corner of an unfamiliar road without a cane or anyone to help him home. Yes, she was going to hell. But she would rather be there than have Auggie angry with her and over a kiss? A kiss that she didn't let him explain? Tomorrow, tomorrow she would try to fix everything.

XXX

Corrine was running through the trees, he could hear her singing as she went. Rays of sunlight peeked through the canopy and slithered around the tree trunks. A smile yanked on his mouth. The sun, he could see the sun, it had been almost two years since he had last seen its golden fingers. He reached out his hand and let the light dance across his skin.

"Auggie," Corrine called, standing just yards in front of him.

His eyes dragged over her, he'd forgotten just how beautiful she was; hair like supple gold, eyes like bottle glass and a smile that could knock you dead. He smiled at her and took a few steps forward, his feet crunching on jewel colored leaves that had fallen from the autumn touched trees. Then he heard her. Somewhere behind him Annie Walker laughed.

He spun quickly, nearly losing his balance. He had to see her but she wasn't there, all he could see was her shadow flitting away. Turning back to Corrine, he found her only an inch from his face, her green eyes huge at such extreme proximity.

"Go after her," Corrine smiled, turning him around and giving a little push, "She's waiting for you to see her."

He set of running, his feet carrying him at a precarious pace, trees whipping past his face at an abnormal speed. The further into the woods he went, the darker it got, his eyes straining to see through the suddenly night stained forest.

"August," Annie's voice said, "I'm here."

When he turned, he could see her outline in a small alcove cut into a tremendous oak tree. Her frame so so much smaller than his own. He made his way toward her but with each foot he put in front of the other the darkness closed in on him. Just one more step and he would see her. He took that step and the light disappeared. With trembling hands he reached out for her, the tips of his fingers meeting with her warm skin.

"Annie," he asked, frightened, "Annie, I can't see you."

"It's alright, August," she whispered, her lips brushing against his, "I know you can't."

Strong, thin arms wrapped around his waist and held him close and he sobbed into her velvety hair. Her nimble fingers combed through his hair, soothing his broken heart. She pushed him back, caressed his chin, guiding his face to hers before pressing a passionate kiss to his mouth-

A knock on the door interrupted them-

Wait, a door?

After another knock, Auggie rolled over in his bed, his limbs heavy and uncoordinated. His eyes snapped open and his heart sunk in his chest. Still nothing. It was all just a dream. There were times that he wished he didn't dream in pictures anymore because it always made him think he would be able to see when he woke up. A deep ache flared up in his chest.

"Hey Auggie," a strangely familiar voice called from outside his door, "Can I come in?"

The voice was just this side of familiar, were he not so tired and in desperate need of Annie's skin beneath his own, he knew he would have recognized it immediately. He moaned at the loss of his dream but forced himself awake a little bit more.

"Yea," he grumbled, closing his eyes against the disappointment.

"Jesus," the door swung open noiselessly but the voice wasn't muffled anymore, "It's like a bat cave in here."

"Matt," Auggie smiled, rolling over to face the door, his voice still thick with sleep, "What are you doing here?"

"Good to see you too," he laughed and Auggie heard the light switch flip, "I'm here on Thanksgiving break."

"When did you get in?"

"Really late last night, dad said you'd already gone to bed and not to wake you." The side of Auggie's bed sank as Matt sat beside him, "Mom wants us all to go out today, so she gave me permission to drag your ass out of bed."

Matt sprawled backwards over his younger brother's stomach and Auggie let out a strangled laugh.

"Matt, you're going to kill me," he exclaimed dramatically, "I'm dying- need oxygen!"

"You're such a dork," Matt laughed, rolling off his brother so that the younger Anderson could sit up.

"Hey, grab me something to wear will you, I'll get dressed and head downstairs."

"Sure," Matt replied happily.

Matt obliged and Auggie could hear him rummaging around in his closet. It was good to have him home; he was as close to Matt as he was to Jamie. Brothers of the best kind. What felt like denim hit Auggie in the face without any warning, he dragged them tiredly off his head before being promptly smacked in the face a few more times by what, upon further inspection, Auggie learned to be a sweater, t-shirt and boxers.

"A little warning next time, Matt," Auggie sighed, shaking his head.

"Would it have helped," Matt asked incredulously.

"Not a bit," Auggie grinned, joking about it was less tiring than being annoyed.

"Hurry up and get dressed, there's someone I want you to meet," Matt said in a rush, Auggie knew what that meant, Matt was nervous about whoever this was.

"Whoa, wait a minute," he said before his brother could escape out his door, "Who am I meeting exactly?"

"You'll find out, just get dressed," was Matt's cryptic answer. "Don't drag your feet either."

Auggie hated surprises, especially when it came to meeting new people, in the end it always ended up being awkward and full of needless apologies. Then he remembered something.

"Matt, hang on a second," he called before he heard his door click shut.

"Yea?"

"Turn off my light, will you? I'll forget and I don't want the bulb to burn out."

It was weirdly quiet for a few moments and he could practically feel Matt's hesitation from across the room, it's unnatural to leave someone in the dark, whether they know the difference or not. Finally the switch was flipped and his door clicked shut. He hated making his family uncomfortable.

Once dressed, hair combed and teeth brushed, Auggie made his way into the living room where his family's voices echoed jolly and free. It had been a long time since he'd heard that sound and it made him smile.

"Morning, son," his mother said from the couch, he raised his hand in greeting, wondering if this stranger was sitting with them, he hadn't heard a new voice. "Come sit with me and Jamie."

Auggie wove the familiar path between the furniture and around the ottoman that used to give him hell, and Jamie led him to the free spot between him and their mother. He relaxed back with his arms across the back of the couch. It had been a while since they all had the opportunity to sit down in the living room as a family. Usually someone was running off somewhere they had to be on time.

"Matt says that he and his friend have something they would like to tell us," his father said from across the sitting area.

An alarm went off in the back of Auggie's head, somehow he had the feeling that this easy conversation and comfortable setting was about to go to hell. Two pairs of footsteps came from the kitchen and someone set down a tray that clanked against the coffee table, he guessed it was Matt.

"Auggie, that was fast," Matt said, once again sounding out of breath. "This is who I wanted you to meet. Auggie this is Jasper, Jazz this is my other youngest brother, Auggie."

Auggie stood up and held out his hand, it was easier for everyone that way.

"Nice to meet you Jasper," Auggie smiled politely.

The young man's hand slid into his and shook it firmly; Auggie noted that he smelled like incense and coconuts.

"You too," Jasper answered, his voice coming from just above Auggie's head, it was soft and unsure, sort of like Jamie's.

He sat back down and everyone sat in a comfortable though expecting silence. Auggie leaned towards the coffee table and managed to find a bagel on the platter, he would go for a drink later. From the smell of it the bagel was blueberry and he smiled, that had always been his favorite.

"Well," Auggie's father started, breaking the silence as Auggie took his third bite of the bagel, "Mattie, I think I speak for everyone when I say we're anxious to know what you and your friend would like to tell us."

For some reason, Auggie's heart thudded loudly in his chest, like he subconsciously knew what was coming, that uncanny feeling you get just before an earthquake or a terrible storm.

"Well, Dad, everyone," Matt began, still sounding like he just ran a 5k, "That's actually it, Jazz and I- we're- Well, Jasper is my boyfriend."

It was like the air turned to static, one wrong move and the friction would set the place on fire. Auggie rolled his eyes and mentally smacked Matt in the face. Since middle school, Auggie had known that Matt was gay, the rest of the family, however, just got a wakeup call. The silence was deafening but Auggie just shook his head and waited for the volcano that was Mica Anderson, to blow.

"I can't believe this," his father said in a dark, low voice, followed by the sound of a chair scraping back and heavy footsteps retreating towards the stairs.

"Mica," his mother yelled. She squeezed Auggie's leg and stood up, "I'm happy for you two," she said softly, "I really am- and Jasper, I would love to get to know you better and I apologize for my husband's behavior- It's just- Matt, a bit of warning would have been appropriate."

"Mom," Matt began desperately, "I-"

"Not just now, son," she spoke quickly and her voice had traveled to the end of the staircase but Auggie didn't turn towards her voice or Matt's, he kept his head down and ate the rest of his bagel, "I have to go talk to your father."

The silence hung heavy again.

"Well," Auggie drawled once he'd swallowed the last of his breakfast, "Welcome to the family, Jasper."

"It's not funny, Auggie," Matt whispered.

"Oh come on," Auggie couldn't stop himself from grinning, "I don't think it's funny but Matt, what did you think would happen? You know how dad is, he's a great guy but straight-laced."

"I know but I couldn't think of a better way of saying it," Matt was dying inside; Auggie could hear it in his voice, "What do you think he's going to do?"

"He loves you, he'll warm up," Auggie shrugged, "Till then it's probably best to give him some space. Seriously though, next time you want to drop a bomb in the room, you could at least warn me."

"Right," Matt groaned.

"So," Jamie dragged out the word, almost like he was stuck on the syllable, "Is that why you always dressed me up in mom's clothes when we were kids?"

Everyone was quiet, but it wasn't long before the room burst into laughter.

"Matt, you bastard," Auggie grinned, "Poor Jamie is scarred for life!"

"Listen," Jasper said after the laughter died down a bit, "I'm sorry about all this trouble."

"Hey," Matt said affectionately, "It was my moronic idea, you didn't do anything wrong."

A knock on the door interrupted the moment and Auggie hung his head, he was pretty positive it was for him. Jamie moved to get up but Auggie stopped him with a hand to his shoulder.

"I got it," he sighed and pushed up from the couch.

Though he didn't know what to expect, he knew one thing for sure. This was something he could fix.

XXX

It had taken everything out of Annie just to ring the doorbell and now that she had she felt exhausted. All the way to his house she had been going over what she wanted to say to him but as she stood there at his front door, her brain had dumped all of it. On the other side she could hear the lock jiggling and finally the door opened, revealing a smart looking Auggie in dark jeans and the most comfortable looking grey sweater she had ever seen. Nervously, she wrung his cane between her hands.

"Annie," he said slowly, uncertain.

It seemed that she was a bit stopped up but she knew that once she opened her mouth it would all pour out in a torrent of babble.

"Okay, are we going to talk or have a staring contest because I can guarantee that you would win," his lips quirked up in a small smile. That was all it took for her.

"Auggie, I'm really sorry," she spouted, he opened his mouth but she rushed in before he could start, "Not just for abandoning you which I shouldn't have done whether you had this or not," she pushed his cane against his hand as she spoke, "You trusted me and I let you down and if you never forgive me for that I understand, but I shouldn't have yelled at you either! It's just that all those feelings came back when I saw you with her and I'm not the most rational person in the world, my sister can attest to that.

"I just couldn't stand the thought of letting this go any further," she took a deep breath after realizing that she was getting lightheaded, "I mean think about it! I was mad at you and now you're mad at me and it's like an endless cycle and it's so not productive and I hate it. So I was thinking that we could talk everything over, you know? I mean, unless you want me to go which I would understand, though, I really, really don't want you to…"

When she finally caught her breath, she realized that she'd been looking at the ground the entire time she spoke to him, unable to make herself look him in the face because her guilt was reaching epic proportions.

"Annie," he began warmly, when she looked up he just inches away, his eyes shaded by long lashes. "I'm not mad at you. In fact, sometime after my temper-tantrum last night, I forgave you."

He reached out, his hand running up the length of her arm, leaving a trail of raw nerves on her flesh. He leaned in close, the tips of his fingers tilting her face towards his. No, surely she was dreaming this right? Things couldn't possibly be going this well, not after what she'd done to him. As if in slow motion, his lips met with hers in a desperate though steady pace. She sank into it, grabbing him for support as she felt her legs melting helplessly. Their mouths parted with a small smacking sound and she felt hazy and warm all over.

"All my life I've had fights about Corrine, but I'm not going to let that happen with you," his voice was soft, sultry, "Let's call it a truce, yea?"

She nodded her head, unable to make her mouth work.

"But, since you're here, maybe you could do me a favor?"

The question caught her off guard.

"Sure," she breathed, I mean, after that kiss how could she resist?

"Perfect," he grinned, taking her hand and pulling her inside. "Let's make this day good, huh?"

If only she had known what she was getting into.


	11. Girlfriend

_**A/N**_: It's finally here! Sorry it took so long and I hope you enjoy it! This time was purely writer's block but I know where I'm going from here! This is a loose edit so I may post this chapter again later today.

Like I said on my profile, I'm going to start speeding this thing up but I wanted to know if there's anything you would like to see before it ends! So please if you have an idea or dream for this fic drop me a message and we'll see if it fits! I would love to hear from you guys!

Please R&R it really does help to know the mood of my audience and I really do appreciate you guys.

Oh and I would like to do a oneshot for you as well for getting me to 100 reviews (seriously I did a happy dance for that) and I would lie to know what kind of oneshot you would like!

Happy Reading and thank you for your patience!

* * *

_**Girlfriend**_

A smile crossed his mouth as he watched his baby brother, Matt couldn't believe how much he had changed in the few short months that he'd been away and he had a feeling that it had a lot to do with the little blonde that sat beside said baby brother. She- Annie, he remembered- was bright and smiling and every time she spoke it was like the light turned on in Auggie's head, his attention focused solely on her. It was refreshing to see Auggie this way, somewhat relaxed and happy, a far cry from the tense, grumpy boy Matt had said goodbye to in August.

The chair beside him scraped against the floor and Matt looked up to see Jasper smiling softly as he slid a Chai Latte in front of him. There was just something about the guy that made Matt stop and stare, something that caught his breath every time. In all honesty, Jasper was Matt's first boyfriend. Sure, he'd had flings with a couple guys in high school but when he met Jasper it was like the planet suddenly stopped rotating. Everything about the guy was fascinating, his cool blue eyes, silky black hair that twisted into heavy curls, and skin like smooth cream. Beautiful.

"So, Matt," Annie said, catching his attention, "Where are you going to school?"

"NYU," he smiled, he loved being able to say that, he worked so damn hard to get in, "It's my freshman year."

"That's really cool and what are you studying," she asked, her brow scrunching in curiosity.

Matt certainly approved, her questions and expressions were so genuine and she was easy to talk to.

"I'm a physical therapy major with a minor in psychology," he began happily, Matt loved to talk about his studies, to anything with ears, "It's really a lot of fun, the other day our biology teacher had us dissecting a cadaver foot and-"

"Okay, Matt," Auggie interrupted, coughing from the coffee he'd been in the middle of swallowing before Matt started talking body parts, "I think it's best that we don't get into that at the moment."

"Oh," Matt stopped short, taking in the look of surprise on Annie's face, her honey colored eyes wide as lollipops, "Right- Medical stuff, gross."

"Not gross," Jasper reasoned, "Just occasionally inappropriate."

"What about you, Jasper," Auggie asked, his fingers searching the table for something, Matt slid a napkin towards him and once Auggie found it he snatched it up. "What are you at NYU for?"

Annie was watching Matt, smiling softly when he discreetly passed the napkin to his brother. He flushed a little bit, Auggie wouldn't have wanted him to help but it was impossible for Matt not to. There was still an overwhelming feeling that cropped up whenever his little brother struggled and refused help. It was an overwhelming need, often accompanied by an unhealthy dose of unnecessary guilt. He watched as Annie sipped her straw in possibly the cutest fashion he'd ever seen with her lips puckered out and her eyes wide and innocent. He had to hold himself back from reaching over the table and pinching her cheeks, she was just so darn adorable. Vaguely, Matt wondered what Auggie knew about her appearance, not that it really mattered. Still.

"I'm a musical therapy major," Jasper said, capturing Matt's attention.

"We have psych together, that's how we met," Matt interjected.

He could remember the first time he'd seen Jasper, it was like his eyes had finally opened.

"Right," Jasper smiled at him and in that moment, Matt knew the two were sharing the same memory.

"That's interesting," Annie smiled, she gave Matt a wink, "So what is musical therapy exactly?"

Matt sat back in his chair, Jasper loved that question because he truly loved what he did and listening to Jasper was the one thing that could shut Matt up. If only daddy could see him now, he would be shell-shocked.

He shoved the thought of his father away, he would deal with it when they got home. For now he would enjoy the greatest thing he'd ever done and allow it to remind him why he'd faced his father that morning.

xXx

It's like a sixth sense – well, fifth if he's being honest – it seemed that any time she was around, he could feel it, like she gave off some aura of intrigue and drama. Of course, he could never be positive that she was around until he heard her speak or someone call her name. Still, he braced himself for impact.

"Mathias Anderson," Corrine's voice rang through the small café, Auggie could feel Annie tense beside him and he gave her knee a squeeze. "What are you doing here?"

"Corrine," Matt said enthusiastically from across the table, followed by the scraping of his chair against the tiled floor, "Good to see you!"

There was a quiet moment and Auggie assumed there was some physical contact involved. Corrine had always been a touchy feely kind of girl, it was written in her DNA. It bothered Auggie that he didn't really know what was going on when things got quiet, he hated not being able to register visual cues. Life should include audible subtitles.

"I'm here on Thanksgiving break," Matt said, finally answering the question, "I'm loving the hair by the way, when did you decide to cut it? It's been long since I've known you."

Auggie's eyes scrunched in thought. Corrine had cut her hair? When had that happened? Again with the visual. His frustration was reaching dangerous levels.

"Yesterday, actually," she said, "Well, yesterday I cut it but this morning I went to a hairdresser and trust me when I say it looks worlds better than it did. So who's this?"

"Oh Jesus," Matt said dramatically, "Corrine, this is my boyfriend, Jasper."

"Well hello," Corrine said in her 'I'm about to screw with your life, so be prepared' voice. "I'm Corrine, Auggie's best friend and personal headache."

"But she comes equipped with Tylenol," Auggie couldn't help but smile.

"Good to meet you," Jasper said in his smooth voice.

"And so polite," Corrine said, her long-fingered hand coming to rest on Auggie's shoulder. "Hey, I believe there's an Anderson missing from this table. Where's Jamie?"

"He opted out," Auggie began, "Apparently he already had plans-"

"He's on a date with Clare Pennington," Matt interrupted, something Matt was infamous for in the Anderson household.

"Well okay then," Corrine chuckled, "I had no idea, did you?"

"No, actually," Auggie answered, then swiftly changed the subject before Matt could jump in mouth first, "So what are you up to?"

"Actually, I'm here to meet Conrad," she said, like she suddenly remembered. One thing about Corrine was that she had a terrible memory, though with her consumption record it was no wonder why. "We're supposed to get coffee together."

"Conrad," Matt perked up again, "I haven't seen him in a while!"

"You know Conrad," Annie asked, finally finding her voice again.

Auggie knew that Annie wasn't exactly thrilled about seeing Corrine so soon after their fight the day before, but the girl was like fate, she just couldn't be avoided. Beneath the table, Annie played with his hand. It was incredibly distracting.

"I was on Varsity soccer at school when he and Auggie were JV," Matt replied, "I helped him work on his goal shots. The five of us, me, Aug, Cory, Chris and Conrad, used to hang all the time."

"You played soccer," Annie asked Auggie curiously.

The memories flashed in his head; the freedom of running, the adrenalin of competition and the high of victory. He hadn't thought about soccer since he lost his sight, the whole world around him had just melted away. Matt still played for a while but at that time Auggie was still getting his land legs back. Damn, he missed those games.

"Yea, I did," he answered somewhat delayed, "And I was damn good, too."

"But not as good as me," Matt teased, reaching across the table to give Auggie a playful push.

"Whatever. It's not my fault that you're short and you run faster," Auggie retorted with a smile. He missed Matt, more than he remembered.

"Anyways, how about you and Conrad join us on our outing," Matt suggested, much to Auggie's dismay. He could feel the day spinning quickly out of his control.

"Don't let Matt manipulate you," Auggie put in, trying to keep up the playful mood, "If you want some alone time with Conrad you don't have to let him down easy, it's best to give him a clean break."

"Actually, that sounds like a good idea," Corrine said, he could hear the chair at the end of the table being pulled out, "Conrad will be here in a sec, I'm sure he'd love to catch up."

Well, he gave it his best shot.

"After this we were thinking of hitting the rest of downtown, maybe the park later," Matt informed Corrine, apparently this was going to be an all-day affair.

Matt was a people person, much like Corrine, friends with everyone, but Auggie would have rather spent time with his just his brother or just Annie, Matt's social butterfly tendencies were grating on Auggie's nerves. He just wasn't in the mood for this, after the night before and that dream. A big group of people hadn't been in the emotional budget.

"I've got to use the restroom," he said, standing from his chair, "Matt, you mind?"

"Not a problem," Matt obliged.

There was a time when Auggie depended on Matt for everything, he had been the only one allowed to help him in anyway or form without being yelled at for treating him like a baby. Matt just made things easy and simple and casual. Nothing was a big deal because Matt was so calm and collected and yet when the times called for a confident and surprisingly mature lead, Matt was still your man.

Matt led him around a corner that Auggie was almost positive didn't lead to the bathrooms, not that he really had to go but that wasn't the point. It was more quiet there, like Matt had taken him to some sort of back room.

"So, what's up," Matt asked, stopping suddenly and turning to face him.

"What," Auggie asked, sure he'd wanted to talk but he wasn't sure how Matt had figured that out.

"You may not be able to see faces, Aug, but that doesn't mean that I can't still read yours," Matt said softly, not wanting anyone else to hear, "You wear your emotions on your face, kid."

"Right," Auggie sighed, there he went again, being incredibly blind. "Look, I had kind of wanted this day to just be the four of us, you know? I mean, other than talking a bit on Facebook, you and I haven't gotten to spend any time together for almost four months and after that fight we had, which I'm sorry about I just-"

"I know," Matt soothed, putting a hand on Auggie's shoulder, "But don't worry about it, I'm going to be here for the next two weeks. We'll have plenty of time to catch up. I probably should have checked with you first, though, that was my bad."

"No, it's alright," Auggie sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I just- Yesterday was long and I was hoping for quiet and well- you know Corrine."

"Don't sweat it, Aug, I got you and I'll make sure you get some time alone with your girl, too," he said and Auggie knew from his voice that his mouth was spread in a full on Mathias Anderson grin.

"Thanks, Matt," he smiled, feeling relieved, honestly relieved, for the first time since yesterday morning.

"She's cute," Matt added, sounding a little more serious, "I mean like, really, she has the sweetest way about her and it's funny because she's totally not what I would have expected to be your type."

"What do you mean," he asked curiously.

He hadn't asked anyone about Annie, even though he'd been hungry for that knowledge since the day they met. It hit him then. He'd never had to ask what someone looked like before. Everyone around him, his friends, family, neighbors, he'd known his entire life. He hadn't really met any new people since he lost his sight.

"First of all, she's sweet as hell, especially in comparison to Tash and Liza," Matt groaned, thinking of those two put Auggie on edge as well, they were volatile and fully charged and when he was being honest with himself, he'd admit that they were as close to Corrine as he could find. "Then there's the fact that she's blonde-"

"Seriously," Auggie blurted out, he vaguely remembered Annie yelling it at him the day before but at the time it hadn't registered. It's amazing how many words had lost their immediate meaning for him, he shoved the thought away though, just another grain in the hourglass of painful things. Soon the sands would be gone and he'd feel empty and have to deal, but until then…

"Seriously! And her eyes are like honey, Augs, and the way she looks at you-"

"Hey," Jasper's soft voice interrupted, Auggie felt somewhat annoyed with Jasper for intruding on – what was to him – a highly personal moment, "I don't mean to get in the way but Conrad is here and everyone's ready to hit the town, they wanted me to find you. Sorry."

"It's fine," Matt said immediately, his tone changing slightly into something more intimate, "We just needed a minute. Ready, Aug?"

"Yea, let's do this."

xXx

It was incredibly comfortable to walk this way, with her hand securely in his, their hips bumping every once in a while. Annie watched as his cane slid back and forth across the pavement, it was a different one than he'd been using the day before, this one was taller and the tip was shaped like a jumbo marshmallow. For a moment she wondered why he was using this one and guilt washed back onto the shore of her consciousness.

She looked up to his face, his beautiful brown eyes almost amber in the sunlight, he looked thoughtful but the happy kind of thoughtful, not the doom and gloom kind of thoughtful. He tilted his head towards her, a grin tugging at his mouth. She loved that grin.

"You're staring again," he said. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Hit me," he smiled.

"Okay, so I was wondering if you would explain," she said, hoping this idea of hers wouldn't receive any emotional backfire.

"Explain…?"

"You know, you kissing Corrine," she stared at the back of Corrine's head when she said it, wondering what the hell it was about that girl that Annie could never have, could never be.

"Oh, sure," his brow scrunched, "We alone?"

"We're pretty behind everyone, they aren't listening," she said in a conspiratorial manner.

"Alright," he took a deep breath, his cane going sort of limp as he concentrated on what he wanted to say, "So basically, I've been somewhat obsessed with Corrine since middle school, she told me she liked my glasses and ever since then I just couldn't get enough of her. She's never felt the same about me though and, for my sake, she's kept me at a romantic distance.

"I guess none of my previous relationships have worked out because of that, I've dated girls that were similar to her but they never met my expectations," he shook his head, "That was totally unfair of me, to compare them like that-"

Annie bit her lip, a nervous habit, unsure she wanted to hear the rest of this story. After all, how in the world could she compare with Corrine, other than, you know, being emotionally stable. Well, sort of.

"-But I couldn't help it. Corrine holds this sexual tension with everyone and I guess it just affected me more. And then, you came along and you were just so different. A breath of fresh air, in a way. You're so cheerful and sweet and adventurous, almost like an anti-Corrine."

He laughed and it loosened up the muscles around her heart. She pulled him to the side a bit, away from a lurking trashcan, he didn't notice.

"There I go comparing again," he shook his head, "Anyways, I was – I am – fascinated by you. I mean, just when I get you figured out you do something that surprises me! I love that about you."

Her cheeks flared up but the smile on her face was relentless. He _loved_ that about her. She wondered if he would notice if she did her happy dance. Probably best not to.

"But anyways, I'd had all this build up about what it would be like to kiss Corrine, seven years of it almost, but when it finally came around, when she finally did it, all I could think about was how much I wished she was you-"

Wait a second.

Surely she'd heard him wrong, surely there had been some sort of lapse in his brain. She kept quiet for a moment waiting for him to correct himself and when he didn't her heart took a flying leap.

"That's why you were smiling," she whispered, "'Cause you-"

"Yes," he grinned, happy that she understood, "Because I realized that I don't need Corrine to be with me, 'cause all I want is to be with you!"

He stopped and twirled Annie around so that they faced each other.

"And the funny thing is," he continued, "I think she did it on purpose. Crazy, right?"

Something had stolen her voice or maybe she just couldn't speak with her heart lodged firmly in her throat. Auggie took a step towards her, his left hand traveling with nimble grace up her arm and her shoulder to find her neck and her chin, his fingers leaving tingling trails of desire in their wake. Those long, strong fingers swept through her hair and stayed there a moment, a soft smile growing on his lips, his soft eyes resting lazily somewhere near her mouth. In a moment that seemed agonizingly slow, he grazed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lips, making them part just slightly and from there he brought his own mouth to hers.

The kiss was slow, indulgent, like he'd forgotten there could be people watching. Maybe he had and maybe she didn't care. She breathed him in, the smell of his heady cologne and spearmint toothpaste and just the smell of August Anderson. The kiss was hot and heavy and everything she could have dreamed of, it was like he'd taken her to the moon and back and she wondered what it would be like to have him inside her-

No.

Slow down.

"Auggie-" she breathed her hand on his chest. Vaguely she could feel part of his cane biting into her back.

"Annie, I love you and I don't know what that means, right now, but I'd like us to figure it out together," he said, his voice dangerously low, in that moment he could have asked her to do anything and she would have said yes. No hesitation. "So, I'll ask you, officially. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Without a thought she pushed him back, her eyes wide and on fire. She couldn't help but smile at the adorably surprised look on his face.

"For real," she blurted out.

"Yea," he laughed uncertainly.

"Oh hell yes!"

This time, she did do her happy dance.

* * *

**_A/N_**: I'm doing my happy dance too!  
That last part was so fun to write.

There's going to be some deep stuff soon.  
I know, I know.  
But there's going to be some other very nice stuff too, if you know what I mean.

Anywho, next chapter will be posted when we get 120 reviews ;)

I know I'm evil.  
Toodles!


	12. Starry Eyed

**_A/N: _**Well would you look at that, I'm on time... Almost.  
So this one was really hard to write and I know its not my best but bear with me.  
The next chapter is my favorite by FAR.

I have not edited this chapter because it's late but I wanted to get it up.  
I will look over it tomorrow and possibly make changes...  
Let me know what you think!  
It tickles me to hear from you guys!

Happy Reading!

**_Disclaimer_**: I don't own Covert Affairs. (Thought I'd forget again, didn't you?)

* * *

**_Starry Eyed_**

Jasper watched Auggie as he lazily slid his cane across the pavement, following his older brother's footsteps as they walked home that night. He looked tired, the shadows beneath his eyes purpling but he looked content. It had been an interesting day, he had to admit, going from Mr. Anderson's silent implosion to Corrine's dynamite on crack to this quiet peaceful walk back to the Anderson household. Yes, it had been quite a day.

The more he thought about it the more Jasper decided that he didn't much care for Corrine. She was too volatile, as though trying to make up for something, compensate, if you will. Bottled chaos, that girl was, and bottles break. It was just a matter of time. There was one thing he could tell though, she loved her friends, honestly and they loved her back. It was the fierce kind of love and it was refreshing to see in such young people.

Matt let out a hearty laugh at something Auggie had said, Jasper hadn't caught it but listening to his boyfriend laugh was a beautiful thing. He knew the guy had a personality and a big one at that, but he also knew it was being strangled by the loneliness of being away from his family and the weight of his schoolwork. To see him at home, at his best, was something to behold. It made him smile, made him want to explore his lover and reach into those depths that he'd previously locked away for nostalgia's sake.

When they got to the house, Jasper felt a sense of foreboding. In many ways he didn't want to face Mr. Anderson again, the way rage seemed to simmer behind those dark eyes made visions of Jasper's own father invade his memories and those were memories best forgotten. Scars that needed to be hidden.

The house was brightly lit when they walked in, giving it the sense of sunrise though the sun was rapidly disappearing. He watched with fascination as Auggie disassembled his cane and successfully tossed it onto the entryway table. He'd never met a blind person before and Auggie had blown his expectations out of the water. The kid was amazing, Matt hadn't been exaggerating – as he was known to do.

As soon as they went into the kitchen, Jasper's vision was filled with Mr. Anderson's imposing form as he sat on one of the barstools. The man guided Auggie around him as the kid nearly walked right into him. He was silent as a ghost though something in his eyes allowed Jasper to relax in the most minimal of ways.

"Evening boys," he said with a half-smile, if Jasper didn't know any better he'd say Mr. Anderson looked- nervous? "Did you have a good day?"

"Yea, Dad," Matt answered, sounding rather unsure of himself. "It was pretty good."

Jasper leaned against the counter and watched Auggie as he found a YooHoo in the fridge.

"Listen I- I need to talk to you- both of you about what happened this morning," Mr. Anderson began, struggling to figure out what to say. Jasper finally brought himself to look at him, "I acted like a child, an ignorant child and I would like to offer my apologies to the two of you-"

"Dad," Matt interrupted, Jasper knew how much Matt hated awkward situations and this was certainly awkward, "You don't have to-"

"Yes, son, I do," Mr. Anderson stated, using his Father Voice to quiet his son, "I may not understand what you two have together but I still love you, boy, and I accept- I accept your personal decisions. I can see that you two care about each other and that's all I've wanted for my children in a relationship. I just hope that you can accept my apology."

It was quiet for a moment, save for the sound of Auggie trying to get the last of his YooHoo through the tiny straw. Matt was looking at his father like he didn't know him anymore and his father was looking at Matt with desperation.

"Apology accepted, " Jasper said softly, earning a bright smile from the man, Jasper knew now where Matt got his smile and he couldn't help but smile in return.

With a small voice, Matt said, "Yea. Like he said."

Mr. Anderson clapped his hands together, the smile reaching his deep brown eyes that crinkled in the corners. He stood and embraced his son and it saddened Jasper to see how stiffly Matt reacted. This morning's rejection still stung. Mr. Anderson clapped him on the shoulder and Jasper gave his most honest smile, hoping to make up somewhat for Matt's cold reaction.

"I would like to take everyone out to dinner," Mr. Anderson announced. "You boys get ready while I fetch Julia and Jamie."

Once he was upstairs, Matt rounded on Jasper, his usually smiling hazel eyes turning hard as glass. His body language gave away what he was thinking.

"Nice, Jasper," he said, throwing his hands up.

Jasper looked to Auggie who looked just as surprised as he felt. Normally, Matt shrugged things off, but he supposed the rejection of his father still held tight to his heart.

"What are you so upset about," Jasper asked calmly, trying to convey with his eyes how concerned he was. He'd never seen Matt like this and this was certainly not what he'd meant when he wanted to further explore his lover.

"You just let him win," Matt exclaimed in a yelled whisper, "Just let him go like he'd done nothing wrong!"

"Matt," Auggie stepped in, "Jasper didn't do anything wrong and dad apologized."

"That's just it, August," Matt spun around to talk to his brother and Jasper stepped closer to him, "He thinks that every time he says something wrong that he can just say sorry and everything is fine! Well, he can think again, because-"

"What is it you wanted from him, Matt," Jasper asked softly, there was more to it than the way Mr. Anderson acted that morning, it went deeper than that. "What is it that you need from him?"

When Matt turned around he looked surprised, like someone had stabbed him in the back or read his private diary. It seemed that no one had called him out on this anger before, that no one had ever told him that there was more to it. Funny, how a psychology student can possess such a strong ability to deny their own problems while diagnosing everyone else's.

"I'm done talking about this," he said in a deadly calm voice before fleeing the kitchen.

Jasper watched him go, hurt welling up in his chest. He hadn't done anything wrong and it annoyed him that Matt was angry with him, but at the same time he just wanted Matt to feel better. It was decided then that he didn't have anything to apologize for.

"Well," Auggie said, crunching into an apple he'd retrieved from the bowl on the counter, "That went well. Apple?"

xXx

One would think that she would be used to coming home to an empty house by now, it still stings like a bitch. She didn't bother flipping the light switch, it wouldn't help the loneliness go away. Conrad had offered to go home with her, but she hadn't been in the mood to give him what he wanted. Her mother's car wasn't in the driveway and the house echoed emptiness, she didn't bother wondering where the woman was.

The bar lights in the kitchen glowed amber and she noticed a note written in her mother's script lying on the stark kitchen counter. She didn't read it, instead she balled it up, wet it down and shoved it down the garbage disposal. For a moment she thought of calling Auggie but her confidence that he would answer her was strangely withered. And she knew exactly what the problem was.

With a flourish, she popped open a beer and set herself up on the couch, using the remote to turn on her favorite composer. Chopin. Something about his dissonance reassured her that she wasn't the only one hearing the chaos of the world. She laid her head back, the sight of Annie kissing Auggie still burning hot on her irises. It made her heart feel like a rock in her chest.

She guzzled down half of her beer, took a breath, and guzzled the rest. In her mind, she knew that she was being ridiculous and yet, it seemed that she couldn't control her actions. Her fingers itched to call him, to just put all of this aside and have a good talk with him without prying, jealous eyes. To be honest, she missed him, her best friend. It felt like she hadn't seen him in months. Not since Annie Walker came around.

That was it.

She picked up the phone and dialed the most familiar number she knew.

xXx

Matt sat on the edge of the guest bed, watching his boyfriend pulled on a thin white t-shirt, covering the strong muscles sheathed in milky white skin. His entire family had white skin too but it was tinted from the sun and heritage, Jasper didn't have that and Matt was intrigued.

"Did you have fun today," he asked as Jasper sat beside him, his blue eyes penetrating.

"I did," he smiled softly, "I enjoyed seeing your hometown."

"Yea," Matt grinned, "Maybe we'll actually get some time to spend alone together, there are a lot of things we could do."

"Listen," Jasper said, more serious this time, drawing Matt in with those beautiful eyes, "I don't want you to be too mad at your dad anymore, alright. He's doing really well considering we sprung on him this morning."

"I know," Matt groaned, "And I'm sorry for getting annoyed with you earlier, you didn't deserve that. I'm over it."

"Alright," Jasper said, but Matt could see that doubt in his eyes, that knowledge that he always seemed to have about things that most never noticed.

"I'll let you get some sleep," he said, leaning over and giving Jasper a soft kiss to his mouth, "Knowing my family they may multiply tomorrow so you'd better get some rest."

"Night Matt," Jasper smiled.

"Night."

There was a part of him that wanted to share a bed with Jasper that night, just like in New York, but he thought that might be pushing it, especially if his father found out. Instead he would share a room with his baby brother, just like old times. He flipped the light switch to their room and found Auggie at his desk, headphones on, fingers racing across the pages of his book.

Matt sat on his old bed and just watched his little brother for a while. It was fun to see his face change as he reacted to what he read, his eyes growing wide, or his lips twitching into a millisecond smile, or his lip lodging in his mouth in anticipation. Like Matt said, he always wore his feelings on his face.

"Auggie," Matt said loudly enough that his brother would hear him over the music. He jumped a bit and pulled his headphones down around his neck.

"Jesus, Matt," Auggie chuckled, spinning his chair around to face Matt.

"Sorry, just thought I'd let you know I was in here," Matt said. "I'm probably going to hit the sack soon, Mom said that Ethan and Benji may get in tomorrow."

"They're going to be here for the week, too?"

Auggie looked somewhat distressed, the entire Anderson troupe would be arriving throughout the next week and a half and that put him on edge. There would be too many people in the house who would be moving things around and being too helpful. Matt also knew that other than himself and Jamie, no one had been around enough to get used to Auggie's still tender disability. Last Thanksgiving had been a disaster and they could only hope that this one would be better.

"Yea, Andrew too, but Lucas, his family and Nana and Pops shouldn't be getting here till next week," Matt said in hopes of easing his brother's tension.

"Awesome," Auggie closed his eyes, a habit he developed as a kid. If he couldn't see the problem, it wasn't there. It was kind of a blind joke now.

"Hey, don't stress about it. It'll be fun, I'm sure," Matt grinned.

A song started playing suddenly, a song Matt recognized as a Katy Perry song though he couldn't be sure which one. Auggie spun in his chair, grabbed his cell and flipped it open.

"What's up," was his greeting and Matt rolled his eyes. "I'm not doing anything… I don't know, I mean, probably… Sure, can you pick me up… Wait-"

Auggie rolled his eyes and Matt leaned forward, trying to make sense of the mostly static noise that was leaking through the speakers of his phone.

"Hold up, have you been drinking?"

Corrine, it had to be Corrine. That girl had been drinking by the time she hit middle school. Matt didn't really understand her reasoning but he tried his best not to judge her for it either. Her home life was ruff and some people just can't deal but when he was being honest, she was taking it a little far and sometimes she put his brother's life in danger because of it.

"Cory, I thought you weren't- Well no, but I can walk… Yea, I'll see you in a bit…" Auggie clicked the phone shut and got out of his chair, moving to his closet to change his shirt.

"Where are you going," Matt asked, pointlessly, he already knew.

"Corrine's, she's lonely and we haven't spent like any time together lately, so-"

He pulled his shirt over his head and Matt stared at the scar the stretched on his back. He still felt guilty about that accident they were in, even though it wasn't his fault. His brother had gotten hurt because of it, someone died because of it and sometimes he just couldn't get those things out of his head.

"You sure you want to walk over there," Matt asked, nervous about his brother walking any distance by himself. He knew Auggie would hate it if he knew, but Matt couldn't help it any more than he could help breathing. "I could drive you in Jamie's car-"

"Matt, it's cool," Auggie smiled, "I walk to her house alone all the time."

"Alright," he sighed reluctantly, his hands up in defeat. "What do you want me to tell mom and dad if they find out?"

"Make something up," Auggie grinned, "You were always good at that."

xXx

The door was unlocked when he got there and when he stepped inside it wasn't much of an escape from the outside cold. It wasn't freezing yet, but he could tell from the biting wind that it would be soon. He left his cane by the door like always, he'd been in this house so often it felt like he knew it better than his own. At least in this house, no one ever moved anything.

"Hey, baby," Corrine said from the end of the hall.

Auggie had to admit, it had been way too long since they'd gotten to spend alone time together. He missed it immensely.

"Hey, Cory," he smiled, following her voice down the hall, "Is everything okay?"

"Sure, everything's fine," she said, her voice sounding a little bit off, though ever since her revelation, everything about her seemed a little bit off. "I just got a little lonely and started missing all the time we used to spend together."

"Me too," he answered whimsically.

Her thin strong arms wrapped around his chest and he pulled her into him. There was something about the feel of her that he missed desperately. He rubbed circles in her back and remembered something he'd heard earlier that day.

"So, you cut your hair," he said thoughtfully.

"Yea, I did," she answered, her voice rumbling from her chest to his.

Suddenly he was hyperaware of her breasts against his chest, full and soft. He shut his eyes tight, trying to block those thoughts out of his head. He had a girlfriend now and he and Corrine were just friends, best friends.

"You want to see," she asked, taking his hands and bringing them to her head.

It was an unexpected gesture and it embarrassed him slightly, but it was Corrine, he'd done more embarrassing things around her. He ran his fingers through her hair and was surprised by how quickly it ended, from his exploration he realized that it ended just past her chin. His fingers lingered around her jawline, falling lower to her neck and her collarbone, her shoulders and slender arms. He sucked in his breath and stepped backwards, putting his hands in his pockets. This was wrong.

"Corrine, I- I shouldn't stay," he muttered, turning around and heading back to the door, "This was a bad idea."

"No," she recovered quickly, her voice breaking in the middle, "Don't, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to do that I'm just- I'm trying to find a comfortable balance here and it's hard."

"I know," Auggie sighed, his fingers running through his hair, "How about we just get a drink and watch a movie or something, yea?"

"Yea," Corrine said with a smile in her voice, "Just like old times."

As he followed her bare footsteps to the kitchen, he wondered when it became so hard to be around his best friend with wanting her in ways he shouldn't. They'd spent a lot of nights together as kids and even recently and nothing had ever come of it. Not that he didn't want it to, but she had made it clear that it wouldn't. But that kiss. It was that kiss that changed everything.

"YooHoo, Capri Sun, or Sam Adams," she asked from the direction of the humming refrigerator.

"YooHoo," he answered, taking the safe route, the last thing he needed was for both of them to be tipsy.

They settled on the couch together beneath a chenille blanket and listened to the previews of movies that had been out for years. When her hair was long he would twirl it around his finger before falling asleep when he stayed the night. He missed that, but then again, it may be considered inappropriate by now. He settled for laying his head against hers.

"So, you and Annie are official now," she said softly.

"Yea," he answered, the thought bringing a smile to his lips. Even though Corrine's presence was tempting, he knew that being with Annie was right. "When I asked her she was like 'Hell yes'. I was totally not expecting that."

"That's cute," Corrine chuckled deeply.

"Could you tell me what she looks like," he asked quietly, the question sort of slipping out unexpectedly.

The question had been sitting on his tongue all day, waiting for the right time to voice itself to Matt. But he couldn't think of anyone he trusted the same way he trusted Corrine, she would be perfect.

"You realize I dressed her as Barbie for Halloween right," she giggled.

"Corrine," he laughed, "Come on."

It was quiet for a moment, and he could feel her green eyes skimming over him.

"She's beautiful, August," she said finally, seriously.

He could feel her shift on the couch so that she could face him and he did the same.

"Her hair is like golden sunlight and it's sort of wavy like mine. She has the prettiest eyes too, they're brown but when the sun hits them they're this really light brown, kind of honey-colored, I guess," she said and he drank in her words, painting the mental image of a beautiful girl, "She has this heart-shaped face, kind of like Reese Witherspoon from that movie Just Like Heaven, you remember. Her skin is pretty light but it has this lovely undertone that gives her a lot of color and her smile, Augs, it's radiant.

"And she does this cute thing when she's flirting where she bites her lip and looks up at you through her lashes, so cute. When she's thinking or nervous, I suppose, she nibbles at her fingernails. She has the cutest body too- but you know, I'm going to stop there because that you can find that out for yourself, I think."

He smiled widely at her, trying to put all the pieces together in his head. It wasn't perfect, of course, but it was more than he had before and for that he was grateful. There was a peace that swept over him in a strange way, a mystery solved, he supposed. He wondered just how many mysteries there were to come.

"Look at you, Auggie," Corrine said softly, pushing his overgrown bangs back from his eyes, "You're all starry eyed."

"Corrine," he all but whispered, "Are you sure you're alright?"

He caught her hand, lacing it up with his own.

"Of course, baby, you know me," she answered, but that was exactly it, he knew her well enough to know when she was lying, "Just promise me one thing, that even after you've grown all up and had pretty babies that we'll still do this. That we'll still be best friends. Promise?"

"Cross my heart," he said firmly.

He drew her in and placed a soft kiss on top of her head before wrapping his arms around her. Things were changing so rapidly lately that he was hardly sure of anything anymore, but he was sure about his promise, he just wished he knew why she sounded so sad.

* * *

_**A/N**_:  
I know, I know.  
Not very Augnie-ish.  
I promise that there's OODLES of that in the next chapter.  
But please, don't let this deter your reviews. ;)


	13. Let Go

_**A/N**_: I should be in bed right now, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep till I finished!  
I hope it lives up to your expectations. *wink*  
R&R!

Happy Reading!

Still taking idea suggestions BTW!

**Disclaimer**: Gosh I'm tired, don't own. Duh.

* * *

_**Let Go**_

When the bell rang on Wednesday afternoon, Annie fled her classroom like it had been the fire alarm. For the first time in her near four years at a public high school, she had been given shit loads of homework on Monday and Tuesday that was all due on the last day of school before fall break. Needless to say, she'd had no time to spend with her newly proclaimed boyfriend or any friends for that matter. In fact, she'd spent every free moment of the past two days doing homework and that included lunch.

So when she saw August Anderson at his locker on the way to her own, she happily pranced over, taking her time out of the building. She felt triumphant in doing this, like she was somehow mocking the place.

"Someone's in a good mood," Auggie said, giving her a sideways smile as he took ridiculously large book after ridiculously large book from his locker. His backpack was developing stretch marks.

"How did you guess," she asked with an incorrigible grin.

"Well, first of all you're wearing heels today, which you only do in the best temper," he replied playfully, "And then there's the simple fact that you practically skipped over here-"

"Hey," she laughed, playfully pushing his shoulder, "I didn't skip, I promenaded!"

"Of course you did, Walker," he winked, then held out a book in her direction, "Take a couple of these would you? If I try to fit anymore in my backpack I'm pretty sure it will commit mutiny."

"What are all these for," she asked, surprised by the weight of it.

"These, are my textbooks," he sighed, heaving the last one beneath his arm, "I'm taking them home to study over break for all the exams we'll have when we get back."

Annie groaned.

"Oh, please let's not talk about that," she grumbled, waiting for Auggie to finish up so he could take her arm, "I'm just getting comfortable with the idea of laziness."

"Believe me, this is the last thing I want to be doing, but it still takes me a little longer to read than it used to," he chuckled softy, "I don't know how I'm going to get anything done with everyone at the house though."

"Do you have a lot of family coming for the holidays?"

"Yea, my brother Ethan and his son Benji got in on Sunday and then everyone else will be getting in on Monday or Tuesday," he squinted his eyes, a sign that, Annie quickly learned, meant Auggie was calculating, "Which means by this time next week there will be fifteen people in my house, at minimum."

"Fifteen," Annie whispered, more to herself than Auggie, who laughed.

The most she would have in her house on any given holiday was four.

"So," she began when they got to her car and dumped all his braille texts in her back seat, "What do you have planned for the rest of this beautiful afternoon?"

"I, Annie Walker, have nothing planned," he said with a wicked grin, taking her hand and pulling her in for a quick kiss, "But I have this strange feeling that I'm about to."

"Quite the psychic you are," she cooed, "I was just thinking, there won't be anyone in my house until seven tonight and I thought you might like to-"

"I would love to," he finished.

Annie watched as his hand slid up her arm, relishing in the goosebumps he left in his wake and the heat that flooded her face and stomach. His lips brushed against hers in the most tender of touches and-

"Hey Auggie," Jamie yelled from across the parking lot, rapidly making his way across the pavement with a slightly familiar girl on his tail.

"Damn," Auggie muttered, squeezing his eyes shut for just a moment, "To be continued."

Annie couldn't speak yet.

"Sorry to interrupt," Jamie grinned at Annie.

"Hi Clare," Auggie smiled in the girl's general direction.

"Hi Auggie," she all but whispered, her cheeks flushing a dusty rose color.

As girls do, Annie absorbed the other female with calculating eyes, taking in her snowy blonde hair and delicate white skin. Her eyes were the prettiest shade of blue and she wore a heavy sweater, corduroy skirt and wool lined boots. In Annie's opinion, it was just a tad too warm for such heavy clothing but the girl was small enough to have the excuse. A wisp of a girl, her mother would have said.

"You're riding with Annie, obviously," Jamie gestured pointlessly to the back seat of Annie's car, which was heavily laden with books. "I'm taking Clare out for a bit, but I can drop your books off if you need me to."

"No, it's alright," Auggie shrugged, "They're already back there. I'll lug them all in when I get home."

"Good, 'cause honestly, I hate carrying those things," Jamie chuckled.

It was strange, Jamie seemed so, lively. Annie had never seen him this way. Around everyone else he had always been so quiet and shy. She looked from Clare to Jamie and back again, marveling at the extreme difference that one person can make in another person's life. Her eyes drifted over to Auggie, wondering how he'd changed her and what was to come.

"We'll check you later," Jamie grinned, taking Clare's hand and pulling her towards his car, "Oh and just a warning, Corrine's planning something tonight, so be prepared."

"Wonderful," Auggie grinned, looking strangely thoughtful.

Maybe it was because that damn Halloween movie still gave her nightmares or maybe it was just the unknown, but the fact that Corrine was planning something made Annie just a bit uncomfortable.

"Bye guys," Auggie gave a wave before turning back to Annie, his warm brown eyes melting the trepidation building in her bones like heat lamps, "Now, where were we?"

xXx

Annie locked the door behind them once she and Auggie had stepped into the house, a failsafe so that, were her parents to get home early, she and Auggie would have time to get downstairs before her parents found them together in her room. That was the last way that she wanted to introduce her boyfriend to her father.

"You want a drink or anything," Annie asked as she put her keys on the table with the flower pot, knowing her mother would get annoyed if she found them there.

"Depends on what you got," he smiled, "Is there anywhere you can put this for me?"

He held out his cane to her and she stared at it, thinking of the last time he was in her house and what happened when he left. It made her uncomfortable and she was surprised that he would trust her with it.

"I can hang it on the coatrack," she replied uncertainly, "Are you sure you don't want to hang onto it?"

"Positive," he smiled.

After hooking his cane on the coatrack, Annie brushed her arm against his hand but instead of taking her elbow he put his hand lightly on her back so that he was mostly behind her.

"I don't like to be so formal at home," he grinned.

After grabbing a couple YooHoos from the fridge, they went up to Annie's room. She had gotten everything put away finally, but her floor was cluttered with clothes and shoes and various things that she'd been too lazy to put away after school. She placed her hand on his chest when they stepping inside.

"Wait here," she said, "I've got to pick up my floor a bit, it's a mess."

"Annie Walker, I never thought of you as the messy type," he said as she pulled away.

"I have my moments," she giggled.

In a hurry, Annie started gathering her things with every intention of tossing it on the floor of her closet. She could organize it later. When she turned around, Auggie was making his way around her room, taking careful steps as he followed her dresser with one hand and the other stretched in front of him. She watched as his knees bumped the bed and he sat down, reclining against her pillows.

It was strange to see him that way, so unsure, so blind. This was the first time she'd ever seen him in a place he didn't know by feel and memory, the first place she'd ever seen him vulnerable. Those thoughts evaporated quickly, making room to note the beautiful way that he fit on her bed.

"You look comfortable," she smirked and he gave her his loopy smile.

"I think I could be a little more comfortable," he drawled impishly, "But I may need some help."

"Might you," she asked coyly, biting her lip as she sat beside him, "Maybe I could help?"

Auggie sat up suddenly and pulled his legs in Indian style, his gaze as intense as she'd ever seen it. Her eyes were wide as she watched him stare at her, his thoughts flashing behind his eyes. Her heart beat a heart attack in her chest and in the silence she was almost positive that he could hear it too. But as they sat there, just being together- alone-, she felt an intimacy like she'd never felt before. She wanted more.

This time it was Annie that made contact first, brushing his too-long bangs from his eyes. Slowly she ran her fingers down his jaw and he leaned into her touch, cupping her hand with his own, his eyes closing. That was when it happened, that was when they let go.

Their mouths crashed together hungrily, each needing the other to feel whole. Her hands knit into his hair and his hands ran the length of her back. Those hands of his lingered around her hips, playing with the hem of her shirt like a whispered request. Hardly missing a beat, she crossed her arms and pulled it off, leaving only thin cami and lacey bra. It was too much.

Auggie's fingers slipped up her cami, running over the ripples of her ribs and sending chills up her spine. It had been too long since she'd been touched this way, since she was this comfortable with herself, since she felt connected to someone on this lonely planet.

Somewhere along the way her cami disappeared, though she couldn't recall who had taken it off. Their breathing had slowed as had their kisses though Auggie's hands still lingered gently on her back, methodically running up each vertebra. He was distracted. He rested his forehead on hers, his eyes still closed.

"I want to see you," he whispered, his voice ruff, "Can I?"

After pressing a gentle kiss to his mouth, she nodded. Words unnecessary.

As his fingers worked their careful way up her back and her shoulder blades, she too closed her eyes, relishing in every touch that sent nerves firing to her brain. His soothing hands slid over her shoulders, down her arms and back again. His fingers ghosted along her collarbone, making her head tilt back as they slipped down her chest between her breasts, releasing a small whimper that had been hiding there for months. He kissed her again, her shoulder this time, so softly that she could have imagined it. It took everything in her to keep herself from pressing her body against his taut frame.

When he got to her jeans, she helped him slip them off as quickly as she could. Carefully he explored the curve of her thigh and the dimples in her knees all the up to a place that made her back arch. A smile flickered across his lips and this time she kept her eyes open, indulging in the sight of him. His gaze was worlds away, his mouth parting slightly.

His hands slid back up the curves her body, slowing as they got to her neck and stopping at her jaw. Hesitant. Still she watched. He seemed nervous, biting his lip in a second long decision. Finally he allowed his fingers to break the barrier and glide across her lips, tracing the curve of her mouth and the pitch of her nose. She closed her eyes as ran his fingers butterfly soft over her eyelids and forehead and cheekbones and at last he kissed her again, pulling her up beneath him with his hand at the small of her back.

With no command of her mind, her hands slipped beneath his cotton shirt and pulled it over his head, her hands roaming his back, tracing his scar and the hills and valleys that made up the uncharted landscape that was August Anderson. This was instinct, no thought needed, only feel. The most base of survival.

This time their brains wouldn't stop them, having surrendered completely to their bodies and seeing just how far they could go.

xXx

Auggie laid beside Annie, tracing patters in her smooth stomach and feeling more content than he had ever felt in his entire life. God, she was so beautiful, her feel and texture and structure. He could feel her staring at him and for the first time in nearly two years, he didn't feel self-conscious about it.

"Are you thirsty," she asked suddenly and he could feel her skin heating beneath his resting palm, "I mean, do you want your soda?"

"Sure," he smiled and sat up, he could have laid there for the rest of his life and been happy, but he could tell that Annie needed a distraction. Something downstairs made a noise, a noise he didn't recognize and a moment of panic struck his chest, sending him back into reality. "When did you say your parents would be home?"

"Relax," Annie chuckled and Auggie took the coke that she pressed to his hand, "They won't be home for several hours, that was just pipes. I swear, they never shut up."

"Right," he chuckled nervously at his own paranoia.

But then, how would it look if someone were to find them right now; Auggie in his boxers and Annie- He wasn't sure if she'd put anything on and he reached out to find her, encountering what he was sure was his own t-shirt. He couldn't stop the smile that exploded across his face.

"Auggie," Annie said softly, making Auggie's heart flutter, "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," he promised.

"What do you see," she all but whispered.

Auggie tilted his head slightly, it hadn't been the question he was expecting. He took a moment to think about it as he'd never had to explain it to anyone.

"Nothing," he said thoughtfully, wanting her to understand, "But not black, like everyone thinks. It's less than black, kind of like trying to see through your bellybutton. You don't see black out of your bellybutton, you just don't see at all."

She giggled quietly and he imagined her trying to see through her bellybutton.

"But you see me," she whispered, her face hovering close to his.

"I do," he breathed, his lips barely grazing hers.

"I like how you see me."

He smiled against her mouth before giving her another kiss. There was another thing about Annie. To her his blindness was a part of him, not something wrong, just something _him_. He leaned into her, pressing a kiss to her neck while trying not to spill his coke. He could feel her heart beating in her chest and-

Someone's phone went off and both parties jumped away from one another, terrified that they'd been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"Text," Annie mumbled, sounding out of breath. Her warmth left him and he slumped, "It's from Corrine, it says '12:30 Bastion's Place. Be There.' What's that mean?"

"That, Annie Walker," Auggie grinned wickedly, "Means we're going swimming."


	14. She Came in through the Bedroom Window

_**A/N**_: Okay. I think I just pulled something while I freaking out over a cricket. This is what late nights do to me.  
Anyways! I know that this is incredibly late and you have my sincerest apologies!  
However!  
I'm going to give you some options which will be displayed at the end of the chapter!  
So enjoy and should you feel so compelled, leave a review, those are always welcome.  
Also if you would like more recent updates on chapters and new projects find me on twitter valenglandish.  
I'm on there everyday so chances are you'll get more info!  
Last but not least- I'm going to start a new AU project that's very A-Squared that has to do with Auggie not too long after the accident and Annie already working as a spy.  
It would be heavy romance and probably rated M eventually.  
Thoughts? (I'll give you a virtual penny :))

_'She came in through the bathroom window,_  
_Protected by a silver spoon,_  
_But now she sucks her thumb and wanders,_  
_By the banks of her own lagoon.'_

_-The Beatles_ - She Came in through the Bathroom Window

* * *

_**She Came in through the Bedroom Window**_

Should the structural conditions allow, Corrine always made a point of avoiding front doors. Despite everyone's view of her, she hated making a big entrance, especially when she only wanted to visit with one person in particular. Besides, there was more adventure in coming through the window, it made her feel like some covert operative.

When she slipped inside onto Auggie's bed, she saw something that she hadn't quite been expecting. Matt and Jasper were on Matt's bed in a lips locked, hands roaming, shirts off, desperate feeling kiss. Clad in only cut off blue jeans, Jaspers long white legs straddled Matt's hips, his strong fingers laced through his honey colored hair. It was a beautiful thing and Corrine felt guilty for staring, yet she couldn't seem to look away. It made her stomach churn with desire.

"Corrine," Matt muttered between Jasper's heavy kissing, earning a strange look from his lover.

"What," Jasper asked, his breathing labored.

Matt pointed to Corrine with a grin on his face and Jasper turned to her, jumping at the sight of the unexpected intrusion. They had locked the door after all.

"Sorry to interrupt," she smirked, an eyebrow raised, "I was hoping Auggie would be in here, is he home?"

"Yea," Matt said, sounding somewhat strained, his eyes flickered back to Jasper with an intensity that made Corrine's knees wobble. There were times when Conrad looked at her like that and she wished more than anything that she look back. "Out back."

"Thanks, baby," she grinned, giving Jasper a wink as he met her gaze.

His alabaster cheeks flared crimson and he went to move off of Matt, but the other boy was quick and caught him in a tender kiss. Corrine slipped out quietly, locking the door.

August stood in the middle of the yard, throwing a baseball as hard as he could as their golden retriever, Lizzie, bounded after it, her pink tongue flying in the hazy veil of nightfall. She smiled as she slipped out the sliding glass door, if he knew she was there he didn't clue her in.

"Working on your curveball," she called with a smirk.

He spun around to face her, his brown eyes wide. So he hadn't noticed her.

"Yea," a grin spread his lips, "She's the only one that doesn't mind where the ball ends up."

Corrine laughed beside herself. The blind jokes had been coming in torrents lately and she couldn't tell if that was good or bad. Though she was proud of her intuition, Corrine had always had a difficult time figuring Auggie out, he was a master of disguise. Maybe even better than Corrine herself.

"So other than the desire to improve your pitching skills, why are you out here," she asked as she settled herself on the porch steps, "It sounded like the whole family was down in the den."

"Eh, not the whole family," he grinned as Lizzie nudged his hand with her baseball-swollen snout, "Just half."

"You didn't answer my question," she said, ignoring his attempts at dodging her question.

He was quiet, taking a moment to throw the ball for Lizzie before making his way towards Corrine. After a few strides he started drifting, nearly falling on his ass as Lizzie flew in front of him. Chris once told her that it's impossible to walk in a straight line with your eyes closed, after Auggie went blind she realized how true that was. Even when he walked with his cane he followed a sort of serpentine pattern. Once his toes hit the steps she took his hand, guiding him to the seat beside her.

"I just wanted some time alone," he shrugged, "Some quiet time to hear my own thoughts."

"You look happy," she smiled softly, wondering at his good humor. All the stress and frustration was missing from his face. He looked relaxed, content.

"I am," he smiled at her, his brown eyes wild with happiness.

"Care to share you secret?"

Like they did when they were kids, she looped her arms through his and laid her head on his shoulder. In her mind, she fit perfectly, like they were created to mold together.

"I was with Annie today," his voice rumbled in his chest.

She looked up, her brow scrunching together.

"When you say with-" she cut off, watching his grin spread further over his face, reaching his eyes, "August, you banged Barbie!"

He laughed and shook his head, Corrine had always been brash but it was something he'd liked about her. She was honest. Well, mostly.

"Yes, I slept with Annie," he translated. "And we didn't just have sex, it was more than that. We talked, got to know each other. Did you know she's teaching herself Russian? I swear she's amazing."

Something cold curled inside her stomach, an emptiness of unknown origin. Suddenly she felt worlds away. There was some jealousy in there too, she knew. She was Auggie's best friend, she should be the one making him happy, not some girl he'd only known for a month or two. But there was more to it than simple jealousy, something her subconscious wasn't ready to name.

"I'm glad you two are happy," she heard herself say, it echoed through the back of her mind, haunting her.

In a tender gesture, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She indulged in the warmth of him.

"So, what about you? What are you doing out here?"

"I just wanted to come and visit my best friend," she sighed, relaxing into him.

"I'm glad you did," he said as he rested his head on top of hers.

The sliding door slammed open and Corrine jerked around to see a boy with huge grey eyes and curly black hair staring at them.

"Uncle Auggie," he nearly yelled, his bright eyes then moved to her and his smile exploded, "Corrine! You're here!"

The boy, Benji, ran up to the two and threw himself onto Corrine, his small but strong arms wrapping around her neck.

"Hey Benj," she laughed, squeezing him tight. Corrine had never been one for children, but Benji was the one exception she could make. He was smart and – despite occasional mishaps – he behaved himself. "What's cracking?"

"We're getting pizza and then we're going to watch a movie and eat popcorn," he said, practically vibrating with an excitement that possessed only seven-year-olds and Justin Bieber fangirls. "Come on, you guys have to come inside!"

With a laugh, Auggie stood to his feet and allowed Benji to take his hand, holding his other hand out for his best friend.

"Coming," Auggie asked her, hand outstretched.

"I don't know," she said, getting up slowly, "I still have some things to get ready for – later."

"Aw, come on," he pouted, using his puppy dog eyes, something else he was just too damn good at. "Come eat with the family, we all miss you. Mom's been asking about you for a solid week now."

"Yea, Corrine," Benji added, reflecting his Uncle's puppy dog eyes like a mirror. "I haven't seen you in like months!"

"Well, since you put it that way," she dragged the words out, "Okay I'll stay!"

After cheers from Auggie and Benji, she let the two drag her inside. Maybe this was just what she needed, some time with people who loved her, some time with her family.

xXx

Annie twirled her food around on her plate, making pretty pictures in her mashed potatoes. For once she was glad that she listened to her gut and had taken Auggie home before her parents arrived with her sister, he had wanted to stay and meet her father but Annie had the strange feeling that it should wait until later. Right she was.

It wasn't that she disapproved of her sister's boyfriend, she liked Michael, but when he walked in unexpectedly after her beloved sister, Annie could barely contain the urge to run up and kick him in the shin. It had been months since her family was together, since she and her sister had quality time, and now she would have to split that quality time with the boyfriend. Her grumpiness would be known.

"So Annie," Danielle said brightly, "What are your plans for this weekend?"

The concert suddenly invaded her brain. She hadn't gotten around to asking her parents yet and she knew Auggie would kill her if she couldn't go. She would kill herself if she couldn't go and he was there with Corrine… Alone.

"Actually," she began slowly, taking the time to set her fork down and look straight at her father, "I've been meaning to- talk to you guys about that."

Word usage was very important when it came to speaking to her father.

"Alright," he said, swallowing his mouthful of food, his blue eyes wide and waiting. "Go ahead, Annie."

"Well, there's a concert this weekend," she answered, doing her best to sound casual, "And my friend from school, Corrine, would like me to go with her and a few other friends would be going as well-"

Always invoke the girl's name first, she'd learned that a long time ago.

"It's this Friday, I think," she continued, "I meant to discuss it sooner but with the amount of homework they've been giving it just slipped my mind."

"Okay," he began, he seemed happy that night, despite Michael's presence. He was just happy to have all three of his girls in the same room. This was the perfect opportunity for her proposition. "Who else is going?"

That would be the hard question.

"Well, myself, Corrine, Clare, Conrad, Stu, Jamie and Auggie," she listed off, still looking her dad in the face, it was difficult, but she wanted him to trust her enough to not care about the four attending males, especially the last one. "We'd share the driving and the gas and food and everything-"

"And where is the concert," he interrupted.

Correction. This would be the hard question.

"It's a ways away, we would probably have to spend the night," her gaze dropped from her father's then and she caught her sister's eye. Danielle looked hopeful and Annie had the feeling that if she needed it, her sister would have her back. God, she'd missed her. "But it would only be one night and then we'd leave for home early the next day-"

"Now Annie-"

"Oh come on, dad," Danielle jumped in, "She's seventeen now and it's with a group of her friends, not just one guy. I think it sounds reasonable."

"That's nice to know, Danielle but I think this decision is between me and your mother," he said sternly, though not without a small smile. He always appreciated how his daughters stood up for one another, his own sister would have been shocked. "We haven't met any of these people, Annie and that makes me nervous."

"Now Jonathan," her mother began, mom had always been the free-spirit which was where Annie inherited her love of travel and people, and the woman could work wonders with her husband, "I've met August and if the rest of the group is anything like him, then I say you should let her go."

"It's my senior year, dad," Annie said with hope in her voice, she could see the cracks in his defense, "And I'm happy here, I have friends who are amazing and we'll be good, I promise."

"Well," he sighed, looking Annie in the face. The longer he looked the softer he got. "Where are you going?"

"It's in New York," she said with a smile, "It's not in a big name place, they'll be in a café sort of atmosphere."

"New York is a long ways away, Annie," he reasoned.

"I went overseas for my senior trip and that was just a bunch of us that got together, no teachers or anything," Danielle insisted. "We came out just fine, no trouble involved."

"And Annie is quite responsible, she has given us no reason not to trust her," he mother said assertively.

A tiny twinge of guilt welled up in Annie's stomach at her mother's words as she thought of the activities that went on in her room just a few hours ago, but that guilt was quickly replaced by a longing that started in her chest and slithered down to a more dangerous region of her abdomen.

"That's true," Michael chimed in, "It seems she is a very logical girl, you've raised her well Mr. W."

The glare that flitted across her face couldn't be stopped as she turned to Michael, his presence put her on edge and she had the dooming feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Like when you know that a storm is coming and your skin gets sort of clammy. She didn't like it.

"Well thank you, Michael, they are good girls," Jonathan gave Michael a huge smile before turning back to Annie with a knowing grin, "Now, one last thing I need to know before I make my decision. Are you dating any of these boys?"

It seemed that a spotlight suddenly exploded from the ceiling, illuminating Annie with its attention grabbing light. Every eye was turned to her; her mother, peaceful and knowing, Danni, looking hopeful, Michael, reaching for more steak-tips and her father, looking triumphant. For once she appreciated Michael's ignorance of the situation.

"Actually," Annie blushed a bit, "Auggie and I have decided to be in a relationship. He made it official on Sunday."

It was like the whole table exploded at that point.

"Oh god! Annie that's so exciting! What's he like?" Was Danielle's contribution.

"Baby, that's so good, so the two of you worked everything out? I was worried for a bit." Her mother said with a concerned look, she was the only one who knew what had happened the night before that fateful Sunday morning.

"Now, Annie, you have to take into consideration that this is going to affect my decision and rightfully so, I need to meet this boy before you travel anywhere with him." Was her father's firm answer, though not unexpected.

Michael was busy enjoying his steak-tips.

"I understand, I'll ask him-" she broke off midsentence, nearly giving away her midnight plans that would certainly ruin her reputation, "I'll ask him about coming over when I call him tonight, I'm sure he'll be excited to meet you, he's been wanting to ever since we got together."

"Well, he's on my good side already," her father smiled warmly before digging into his food.

Annie's mother put a gentle hand on her arm and gave Annie a wink, all systems were go.

"Well," Danielle said brightly, folding her hands on the table. Annie's stomach tightened considerably. The storm was about to hit. "Since we're sharing happy news, I have something to tell everyone. Michael and I are getting married!"

Jonathan spit his steak-tips across the table.

Suspicions confirmed.

xXx

When Annie pulled into the rear parking lot of Bastion Palace Country Club, she was a full fifteen minutes late and incredibly nervous. It was a strange thing to be nervous about and as she shut down the heat in her tiny red Volkswagen, she scolded herself for it.

"Buck up, Walker."

She steeled herself for the chill autumn air that waited to embrace her on the other side of the door, it just didn't seem logical to take a swim at midnight in Illinois. Whatever. She would do it and she would enjoy herself, dammit.

Everyone seemed to be gathering on the outskirts of the pool that she couldn't even see for all the surrounding bodies- not to mention the unnaturally high privacy fence. She hadn't realized how many people would be there, then again she didn't really care who was there. Her wool-lined boots worked double time as she made her way through the parking lot, the cold was so intense that she could barely feel her toes. Despite her determination, she could feel her forced good mood ebbing. It had been a hell of a day.

"Annie," she spun at the sound of her boyfriend's voice, her tension easing in the most minimal of ways.

"Hey guys," she grinned when she got there, happy to see Stu and Jamie and tiny Clare, but mostly Auggie, naturally. She slipped her hand into his free one and relished in the warmth of him. "There are so many people."

"Yea, it seems Corrine wanted to start the holiday with a bang," Stu smiled, his hands shoved deeply in his fleece coat.

"Yea, a bang that she's incredibly late for," Jamie shook his head.

His arms were wrapped around Clare whose lips looked just about blue, her cheeks a stunning pink. If Annie thought about it, she looked very much like a porcelain doll, all delicate limbs and alabaster skin equipped with an adorable wardrobe and quiet personality.

"She's not late," Auggie said, "She's finishing something up with the security guard."

"What, is she paying him off or something," Annie asked.

Stu grinned, "Or something."

"It's awfully cold for a swim, isn't it," Clare asked softly from between her chattering teeth, Jamie pulled her closer, crossing his arms over her chest. Their height difference was astounding.

"We can go any time you like," Jamie said, kissing the top of her head. She looked up to him with her wide cerulean eyes.

"No, no, I'm fine," she managed, "I was just wondering. Isn't anyone else cold?"

Annie nodded in agreement and the girl gave her a sweet smile in return.

"You won't regret it," Auggie assured them, "The pool is heated and there's a Jacuzzi on either side. Can you see it from here?"

"Nah," Stu replied, "There's a privacy fence around the whole thing. Seems the rich people don't want to be caught in their bare essentials."

"Right, I forgot," Auggie rolled his eyes at himself.

"Alright everyone," Corrine called, waltzing into view with a wild look in her eyes, "Let's move around to the back where the chain link fence is and get this party started."

There were some hoots and hollers but the offenders were quickly shushed as they didn't wish to wake the neighbors, though Annie couldn't imagine they would stay quiet for long because, knowing Corrine, she knew there would be alcohol involved. She walked hand in hand with Auggie, noting the fact that it was a full moon out. No wonder the day had been so screwy thus far. Maybe this party was exactly what she needed.

One by one, the group of teenagers hopped the chain link fence and Annie rolled her eyes. Her fingers were freezing and the idea of grasping icy cold metal didn't exactly sit well with her at the time.

"Why are we jumping the fence, didn't Corrine get a key from the guard," she whispered, leaning into Auggie.

"Well, Corrine has her own key – her mother is a member," he explained, "But it's an electric keycard and if she uses it after hours it will set off an alarm and send the offence to the main computers. This place is pretty prestigious."

"You think," Annie scoffed. It seemed the Universe was keeping her from getting excited about this idea.

"'Kay, Augs, your turn," Jamie said, taking his brother's hand and putting it on the fence, "Stu's already on the other side."

"That would explain the grunting," Auggie grinned, holding out his cane for Jamie to take.

"Oh-ho," Stu put his hand to his chest from behind the fence, "Low blow, Mr. MaGoo."

Everyone laughed at their banter as Auggie quickly made it over the obstacle with only slight difficulty on the landing, which Stu helped amend.

"Clare's next," Jamie pulled her towards the fence and she blushed a bit, "I'll help you and Stu will catch you-"

"Don't worry," Auggie called putting his hands up in surrender, "Mr. MaGoo will stay out of it."

His words stole a laugh from Clare and Annie smiled, he always seemed to get the best out of people. With a little push from Jamie, Clare made it over just fine.

"Annie," Jamie gestured for her to move closer and she did, although reluctantly.

"Hey, don't fondle my girlfriend, Jameson," Auggie warned with feigned seriousness, he fumbled for Stu's shoulder and leaned towards him, "Keep an eye on him for me, Stu, he only looks innocent."

"You are incorrigible," Annie laughed, nearly falling off the fence but Jamie caught her around the waist and pushed her back up, "You nearly killed me Auggie!"

Once she was over, Jamie practically flew over the offending obstacle and Annie wondered just how often they did this.

She was amazed by the venue as she took it all in. The pool was absolutely huge with multi-hued lights embedded beneath the water and the Jacuzzis bubbled welcomingly. It seemed that the night wouldn't be as terrible as she'd anticipated, besides, Auggie was there as were the rest of her friends, so how bad could it be?

"Settle down, people," Corrine called again, something inside Corrine seemed to come out when the sun went down, "Drinks are in the pool house, bathrooms too, only rule is- don't break anything!" She raised her hands above her head- "Jump in!"

Just as Annie was about to ask Clare if she wanted to accompany her to the pool house to change, everyone pulled their shirts over their heads and slipped out of their jeans before making a splash that had water lapping at their feet. With wide eyes Annie looked around, noting that the Anderson brothers plus Stu had already abandoned their shirts- not that she was complaining. Skinny dipping. That's what this night had been reduced to.

"Clare, Annie, you two okay," Jamie inquired, his eyebrow quirked. "It's just underwear, nothing to be scared of."

"What's the matter, Walker," Auggie taunted, the full moon had done something to him. Tonight he was dangerous. "Cold feet?"

With a glint in her eye, Annie took a deep breath and allowed a mischievous smile to creep along the contours of her mouth. She'd promised herself it'd be fun and she was damn determined to keep that promise. Quickly she slipped out of her jeans and her sweater – thankful she'd worn matching bra and panties – and sauntered up to Auggie.

"Actually, Anderson," she crooned, "I'm just getting warmed up."

* * *

_**A/N**_: In my mind, this is the point in Annie's life in which her wild side starts to take hold. :3  
Your options are:  
We can continue the pool party in the next chapter or we can head directly to the parental meeting and the concert.  
Also, how do you think Annie's father will react when he meets Auggie for the first time?  
And that episode on Tuesday... Wow.  
Yum.  
And I can't wait to hear from you!  
Hope you enjoyed.


	15. Your Lips Are Red

**A/N**: I need a beta and not just someone to help me with my spelling and grammar. I need someone to be held accountable to and who will feel confident enough to give me suggestions if they have them. If anyone would like to take that up just let me know! I would be eternally grateful.

So I know this post is late but HEY! It was only two weeks this time.  
I've got to kick things into gear and get a lot more done.  
I need to move on.

Pool partay as requested! Next chapter up soon, please R&R it's excellent motivation!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Covert Affairs, though I am excited about Auggie getting arrested :}

_'Your lips are red,_  
_My face is red from reading your red lips._  
_My hands are black,_  
_My hands are black inside this downtown taxi cab._  
_This cities red,_  
_This cities red from riding us into the ground._  
_This cities black,_  
_This cities black from all the ashes in downtown._  
_Ashes in downtown, ashes in downtown.'_

-Your Lips Are Red, St. Vincent

* * *

_**Your Lips Are Red**_

Until that moment, Annie hadn't been aware that she was capable of purring like a jungle cat but, with Auggie's strong body pulling her in close and the feel of his rippling six pack against her stomach, there was just no other noise in the world that summed up how she was feeling at the moment. Sure, it probably wasn't helping that she'd already had two beers and her blood was rushing faster than her heart could pump it, but she was enjoying herself, so who the hell cared? They were in the hot tub at the time and Auggie's water slick hands were exploring the small of her back, his mouth pressed against hers, his knee parting her thighs-

"Auggie," she giggled. "What's gotten into you?"

"Whatever's in this cup," he pulled away, grinning wolfishly, "Seriously though, it's good, you should try some."

"August Anderson, are you trying to get me drunk," she smirked, putting her hand on his chest and pushing him back with little effort.

"Never," he exclaimed unconvincingly. "-Is it working?"

With a laugh, Annie plucked the cup out of his hands and sniffed it, her nose wrinkling with the potency of it. Though she didn't have much experience with it herself, there was no doubt in her mind that the majority of it was vodka and the rest was probably cranberry juice. Very little cranberry juice.

"Smells like vodka," she said, putting it in the cup holder behind her.

"Oh damn," he pouted, "I'm going to have a god awful hangover later."

"Who made this," she asked before kissing his mouth, his lips were so red, his cheeks flushed. He was irresistible in that moment.

"Corrine," he said when they came up for air, promptly pulling her back in and making her skin prickle with goosebumps that had nothing to do with the cold.

As they kissed, Annie vaguely heard the other people around her; people playing crazy games in the pool, the rock speakers pumping out music at a volume that wouldn't wake the neighbors, teenagers giggling as they scampered from place to place, trying to avoid the cold's cruel grasp. When they parted, their lips made a smacking sound like they'd been vacuum-sealed, it set them both to laughing.

"Mind if we join you," Jamie asked through nearly chattering teeth, tugging behind him a shivering Clare.

"Where've you two been," Auggie asked with a grin, his speech smeared. "I hear the pool house is nice and cozy."

"We were playing a round of frozen chicken, but once Clare's lips started getting blue we decided to get out," Jamie said, helping Clare into the hot tub before hopping in himself. "And dude, how much have you had to drink?"

With sober movements, Jamie snapped his fingers near Auggie's left ear and it took the latter several moments to locate it, he scowled at his younger brother, sloppily batting away the annoyance. Annie couldn't help but giggle and she noticed that Clare couldn't either.

"Don't do that," Auggie grumbled, "It's rude."

Jamie just shook his head.

Several times Annie found herself staring at Clare's chest, the girl's breasts spilling over her navy blue bra like spilled milk. Clare's blue eyes caught Annie's and she blushed her pale pink as Annie gave an apologetic smile. No wonder the girl always wore oversized sweaters. Secretly, Annie was jealous.

"Oh man," Jamie said suddenly, capturing Annie's attention.

Following his line of sight gave her a clear view of what was going on. Just a few hundred feet away, in her lacey bra and panties, Corrine was fooling around. But that wasn't what had Annie staring in shock, it was _who_ she was fooling with that had Annie's eyes wide as lollipops. Jai Wilcox had her pressed up against the wall of the pool house, Corrine's slender leg slithering around his naked torso, her full-lipped mouth sucking at the skin of his neck. Damn.

"God," Clare breathed, her slightly blue lips forming a perfect 'O'.

"What, what is it," Auggie asked, frustration creep-crawling into his voice, "Would someone fill me in?"

"It's nothing," Jamie said quickly, Annie catching the worried look on his face.

"Don't do that to me, Jamie," Auggie frowned. He wasn't angry, he was hurt.

"Jai is fooling around with Corrine," Annie said softly, watching Clare as she stared at them with what seemed like fascination.

Before he even spoke, Annie could feel the tension rolling off of Auggie's body, the muscles in his jaw clenching. He was only halfway out of the hot tub and Jamie was already beside him with a firm hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Take me over there," Auggie said sternly, Jamie shook his head and Auggie pushed past him, "Fine! I'll go myself!"

"Auggie," Annie said, tumbling out of the hot tub to aide Jamie in calming her boyfriend, "Calm down, you're drunk and overreacting."

"Stay out of this Annie," he grumbled. "Hey Wilcox!"

Jai's head snapped around to see Auggie and he sighed, dragging himself off of a confused looking Corrine. But something about her eyes changed when she saw Auggie approaching them like a dooming storm cloud, something like success. It made Annie's blood boil.

"Auggie," Jai smiled, his teeth looking too white against his dark skin and the deep colors of night, "How's it going-"

"Can it, Wilcox," Auggie growled. Jamie grabbed his arm to stop him from walking smack into the other boy, Annie knew that it wouldn't have happened were he not so inebriated.

Wishing that she herself was less inebriated, she sucked in her lip. All she could do was watch the whole disaster happen. It seemed that an air of tension fell over the entire area, the gate holding it in like a bomb about to explode. After a quick glance around the pool, Annie saw that nearly everyone was watching things play out, the only one who took any action was Conrad, who looked just as murderous as Auggie.

"What do you think you're doing with her," Auggie growled.

"If you could see you wouldn't be asking that," Jai chuckled darkly.

Auggie made to grab him but Conrad caught his shoulder and held him back, he shrugged the touch off roughly and took another step towards Jai, so close that his nose was only inches from the other boy's face. Stu arrived then, standing close but keeping quiet. It was strange the way that everyone watched, hungrily. Like this was a long time coming.

"You jackass, you keep your filthy hands away from her or I swear I'll-"

"You'll what?" Jai scoffed, getting angry. "Feel for my face? Besides, it's not like I made her do anything- she asked for it-"

"You bastard," Conrad growled, "That's my girlfriend!"

Before anyone could do anything about it, Auggie was all over Jai, his fist successfully 'feeling' Jai's nose with a terrible crack. Annie's hands flew to her mouth as she watched and in a few more movements Jai was beneath Auggie on the ice hard ground.

"Auggie," Jamie yelled, but before he could pull his brother away from the fray, Jai had flipped him over and hit Auggie hard in the mouth.

"Stop it," Corrine yelled, looking truly horrified. Clearly this hadn't been part of her plan.

That was the only swing Jai got in before Stu and Conrad pulled him off Auggie, Conrad throwing him hard against the wall. It was clear in his countenance that it took everything Conrad had not to beat Jai's face in even more than Auggie already had. Corrine flitted over to him, her eyes huge. Timidly she reached out to him and when he pushed her away her tears spilled. It was the first time Annie had ever seen Corrine cry.

"Conrad," she said softly, "Conrad I'm so sorry- I don't know what I was thinking!"

"Stop it, Corrine," Conrad yelled, after a measured breath he spoke more quietly, "I'm so sick of your damn games, Cory. I will not be your _bitch_ anymore."

As he walked away, Corrine stood in shock, her eyes fixed on his back as he snatched his clothes from the ground and jumped the fence by the pool house. A new wave of tears rolled down her face and Annie's subconscious was warring over whether to sympathize with Corrine or hate her. Without even a backwards glance, Corrine grabbed a blanket and disappeared.

Everyone was watching with wide eyes, all previous activity ceased. It was so quiet that they could actually hear the crickets in the background. Suddenly, the rock speakers started blaring Ke$ha, making everyone jump, and Clare came out of the pool house with orange juice in one hand and a bottle of Vodka in the other. She was visibly shivering and clearly uncomfortable.

"O-okay everyone," she called, her teeth chattering, "Show's over, but who wants a screwdriver?"

There were several loud cheers and some hushing after that but every eye was now on the tiny voluptuous girl.

"You alright," Jamie asked as Auggie stiffly picked himself up off the ground. His lip was bleeding, split on the left side. "You look like hell."

"That bastard," Auggie mumbled, wiping the blood off his mouth with his forearm, it made Annie wince but she was still impressed by how quickly Auggie took Jai to the ground. It was sort of… hot.

oOo

From the moment Auggie's fist connected with Jai's face, he knew that he shouldn't have done it. Not that he felt badly about it. No, he certainly didn't feel remorse. He'd wanted to deck Jai since they'd been in middle school but he knew that the repercussions could be serious and he could only hope that there wouldn't be any charges pressed. Although, he couldn't imagine that Jai would suffer the blow to his pride when the police – or worse, his father – found out that he'd been decked by a blind guy. The thought brought a satisfying – albeit painful – smile to his face.

"What are you grinning about," Annie asked as she pressed an icepack into his hand.

Though he'd dried off, gotten dressed and stubbornly accepted the blanket that Clare found for him, his shoulder and back still felt like a midget was sitting behind him with a bag of knives. It hurt just to bring the ice to his mouth. He hadn't been in this much pain in nearly a year and he wished he had his dilaudid on hand.

"Hey, are you okay," she asked softly, her fingers whisper soft on his leg.

"It's the cold," he grinned, "It messes with my back and with the water- not one of my better ideas."

Old at eighteen.

"So which one wins," she asked impishly, "Getting wet and cold or drunkenly attacking Jai?"

"Mm. I'd have to say it's a tossup," he chuckled.

The alcohol was slowly wearing off but the aftermath was starting to set in. It had been a few hours too and he knew that everyone should start picking up before the workers began their morning routines and the parents figured out that their teenagers weren't in bed.

"What I did was pretty stupid, wasn't it," he wasn't sure why he needed Annie to justify his actions but he did.

"Well, I don't usually condone violence," Annie started thoughtfully, "But he shouldn't have said those things to you, it was demeaning and tactless and as far as what he did with Corrine- well, they're both to blame for that."

That last sentence was softer, like she didn't want to make him angry and admittedly, it did. There was something about Corrine that he just had to defend. He had been her champion since they'd met – even more so after Chris passed - and even though he was perfectly aware of it, he couldn't seem to shake it. He took a deep breath and nodded slowly, she was right, of course.

"I have to say though," she said, the smile in her voice, clear as day, "I was pretty impressed."

"If I could kiss you right now, I would," he grinned before the cut on his lip reminded him that it wasn't such a great idea.

Her mouth pressed softly against his cheek and he felt his chest swell. The way she touched him, he just couldn't get enough and he was positive that he never would.

"So tell me," she said softly near his ear, her breath still smelled faintly like beer and something sweeter and all he could think about was catching her mouth with his and breathing her in, "Where did you learn how to do that?"

"Wresting-" he mumbled before finding lips with his and ignoring the pain that surged between his shoulders as he pulled her onto his lap, her soft, small body fitting perfectly with his, "Since middle school."

"My dad used to wrestle," she said brightly, suddenly pulling away, "Speaking of, I need to talk to you about something."

Damn. Inwardly he groaned, he would have been perfectly happy sharing heated kisses with his girlfriend in the dark cover of night, each of them still slightly intoxicated but alive with the action of just moments ago, the blood had already fled his brain to migrate south. But of course, that wasn't going to happen. Just his luck.

"And what's that," he managed.

"I need you to meet my parents," she said all at once, "You see, I had to tell my parents about the whole concert thing and I really want to go and all but they were arguing about whether or not it would be a good idea and dad was saying that he doesn't know you and he hasn't met any of you and my mom stood up for you and then he said he'd have to meet you and what not and so I told him that you would. Oh and my sister also wants to meet you, do you know that she's getting married? She just blurted it out at the table and-"

"Annie-" Auggie sighed, she did this sometimes, just sort of exploded with everything she'd been thinking about throughout the day, "Just slow down, yea?"

"Right, sorry," she giggled softly.

"Okay, so I need to meet your father… today," he smirked, "And your sister's getting married?"

"Yes and yes," she said, he could feel her body rock as she nodded assertively. "Although this-" she said, gently drawing her finger over his mouth- "May bring up some undesirable questions."

"Eh, don't worry about it, I can always just say I walked into something," he chuckled, catching her hand and trailing kisses up her arm, "When should I come over?"

"I was thinking about brunch perhaps, my sister wants to cook-"

"Is this the sister who makes the amazing cookies," he interrupted, his stomach grumbling with the thought of it.

"Yes," she laughed, "That sister, so it'll be sort of like a breakfast- well it will be breakfast but in the afternoon. So, what do you think?"

"I think it sounds perfect," he said, pulling her in for another kiss.

He wished he could take her home with him, for some reason he just wanted her close; to feel her breathing beside him, her hair tickling his neck, her skin pressed against his. But with his brother sleeping in his room and a dozen other people scattered throughout the house, not to mention that he would be meeting her father in a few hours, it just didn't seem like a possibility. Friday, though, Friday he would have her next to him.

Jamie's boots sounded against the pavement and he reluctantly pulled away, resting his head against hers with his eyes closed. It seemed that no matter what was going on in the background, Annie had a way of calming him down. The things Jai said, they hurt but what Corrine had done- that was worse.

"You ready to go, Augs," Jamie asked and he could hear Clare's footsteps following behind. "I still gotta take Clare home."

"I'll take Clare home," Annie offered, hopping up out of Auggie's lap, it sent a jolt through his back. "That way you two can get back and I'll have someone to help me get out of this maze of a neighborhood. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure," Clare all but whispered. Every time she spoke, Auggie thought she was miles away even if she was right beside him.

"Okay then," Jamie said, there was a kissing sound and Auggie rolled his eyes. "I'll see you on Friday."

"Bye, Auggie," Annie called, "I'll see you around one?"

"See you then," he waved, doing his best not to wince outwardly.

As the girls' footsteps retreated, Jamie's got closer. Auggie reached out for a hand up, hoping that the girls were out of sight. It was humiliating and he hadn't needed a hand up in a long time, he hated needing help, especially from his younger brother. This wasn't the natural order of things. As Jamie pulled him up, he sucked in a breath of air, trying to ignore the fire that ignited in his nerves, he'd forgotten how this felt.

"So tell me, old man," Jamie said, he was always in a mood like this after he'd spent a night with Clare, "What are you and Annie up to tomorrow at one?"

"I," Auggie began dramatically, "Get to meet Annie Walker's father."

"Aw, man," Jamie laughed, "You're totally screwed."

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading!  
Penny for your thoughts?


	16. Cleaning this Gun

_**A/N**_: I'm only two days late!  
So here is chapter sixteen, the big 'meet the parents' chapter.  
I hope it doesn't bore you...  
Anywhoo, the next chapter will be exciting and sexy so forgive me for this one.  
It's not my best but it's not terrible!

Happy Reading!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Covert Affairs. Happy Birthday Chris Gorham!

_'Come on in boy sit on down, _  
_And tell me about yourself._  
_So you like my daughter do you now?_  
_Yeah we think she's something else._  
_She's her daddy's girl,_  
_Her momma's world._  
_She deserves respect,_  
_That's what she'll get._  
_Ain't it son?_  
_Hey y'all run along and have some fun._  
_I'll see you when you get back._  
_Bet I'll be up all night,_  
_Still cleanin' this gun...'_  
-Rodney Atkins

* * *

**Cleaning This Gun**

After six hours of sleep, Auggie was rudely woken by his alarm. With a groan he felt around for the snooze button and ended up knocking the whole thing off his nightstand, silencing the offending noise in the process. He muttered a curse and pushed up from his bed, stiff, but not in terrible pain, thanks to a couple of dilaudid he took when he got home earlier that morning. Downstairs he could hear his family, nearly all of his brothers were back in their rightful spots beneath the Anderson roof, only Lucas was missing now. With great reluctance he crawled out of bed. If he was going to make it to brunch with Annie's family he had to start getting ready now.

Without anyone noticing that he was up yet, Auggie managed a shower and a quick shave during which he remembered why his bottom lip felt so heavy. He groaned and mentally started planning a cover story that he should have come up with while he and Jamie were on their way home but they didn't and he would just have to improvise. Not a problem, he'd always been pretty good with on the spot cover stories.

The ever-present commotion that was his family was coming mostly from the kitchen and so he headed towards the living room to avoid his mother's- well- mothering, which turned out to be a mistake. Not three steps in and his foot found something that painfully resembled a Lego trying to interlock with the bottom of his heel. As he plucked it off his foot, he heard a small person take in a quick breath of air.

"Careful, Uncle Auggie," Benji's young voice exclaimed dramatically, the kid did everything with panache, "I'm building an infrared satellite and there's equipment everywhere! Here, I'll take you to the kitchen."

Benji took his hand and pulled him around in the other direction before Auggie could stop him.

"Hey Benj," he said firmly but with a smile, "You can't pull me around like that okay? But don't worry, I can get to the kitchen just fine, you get back to your satellite."

"Roger that," Benji exclaimed and scampered away.

As he stepped into the kitchen, he was immediately assaulted by the sounds of movement; chairs scraping, cups clacking, cabinets opening and closing again, and voices coming from every possible direction. He could practically feel the movement around him and it was enough to make him unsure of his own movements. It was true that he was glad his brothers were home, he missed them more than he thought he could but it also meant they'd be moving and changing things. He missed the days when it didn't matter if someone moved the damn ottoman.

"Morning, Sunshine," his brother Ethan said, tugging him away from frustrating thoughts, "Damn, what happened to your lip, kid?"

Ethan's hand patted Auggie's cheek and the latter groaned and rolled his eyes, like he really needed someone to announce it.

"What," his mother piped up as if on cue, "Oh, August, what happened?"

"It's nothing, Ma," Ethan answered, "Just a split lip."

"Let me look," she insisted and Auggie could hear her quick footsteps cross the kitchen. And this was why he was headed for the living room. "August, tell me what happened this time."

Despite the question, Auggie's tension fled from his shoulders and down through the floor. This time she didn't sound anxious or heartbroken, more exasperated like she did before he was maimed. Then again, his mother was always a little more relaxed when all her boys were home and she didn't have just one broken son to dwell on.

"Nothing, mom," he started, trying to decide – and quickly – what sounded the most plausible, "I left-"

"It's my fault," Jamie said, suddenly appearing from behind, his bare feet slapping on the tile floor, "I left the pantry door open last night."

Auggie ground his teeth together to keep from correcting Jamie. It irked him that – once again – his little brother was taking the fall for him. It was his way, though. Jamie, although quiet and generally a good guy, liked to be in control, even if it meant being scolded by their mother and it drove Auggie insane. They saying 'watch out for the quiet ones' was very true indeed.

"Jameson," she sighed, "What have I told you about that? No doors half open. Always-"

"All the way open or all the way shut," Jamie and Auggie recited together in their best Julia Anderson impersonations.

Julia gave both of her boys a slap to the arm as they laughed together, earning a chuckle from their older brothers as well.

"You're laughing now," she half-sung half-spoke, "Though I'm sure it wasn't funny last night and I'm also sure it won't be funny the next time you try to eat french-fries."

"Oh mom," Auggie grinned, "Always thinking ahead."

"Hush, you," she said, her voice drifting towards the stove. "Careful hun, the stove's on."

"So, where are you going all dressed up," his brother Andrew asked from what Auggie was sure was the island.

"I have a brunch date with my girlfriend and her family," he said, unable to keep from smiling. He knew that he should probably be nervous and yet he found himself to be far from. "So who wants to drive me? I would drive myself but I don't think dad's insurance covers that."

"It's like 'Mr. MaGoo Goes Driving'," Jamie snorted.

"I swear officer, I didn't see the stop sign," Auggie laughed.

"Boys," Julia warned as Ethan and Andrew laughed awkwardly at Auggie and Jamie's display. Sometimes Auggie forgot that the rest of his family wasn't as comfortable with his blindness as his younger brother but then again, they weren't around as much either. "Now, have a seat you two and I'll get you some breakfast-"

"I'm going to skip breakfast so I have room to eat at Annie's," Auggie said, making his way from the entry way to the island, his usual breakfast spot.

"Then I'll get you a drink," she said by way of an answer, "Milk, orange juice, coffee?"

"Coffee, black if you don't mind-"

It's amazing how quickly falling happens when you don't see it coming. One moment he was asking for coffee and the next he was on the floor with a developing bruise the shape of a barstool and a thousand voices calling his name. Why there had been a barstool in the middle of the walkway, he couldn't be sure, all he knew was that he found it. Maybe he was just spoiled.

He rolled onto his back, his hip throbbing like a mother. What a great way to start the morning.

"August, are you okay, I am so sorry. I didn't even think about the stool. Are you alright," Ethan said from just above him, sounding so utterly guilty that it made Auggie want to laugh.

And he did.

Several moments of stunned silence later and everyone else was laughing too.

"Alright you jerks," Auggie grinned, "Help me up."

oOo

Simply put; Annie was a mess. She'd had exactly four hours of sleep before her nerves woke her and that lack of sleep was doing nothing to help her now. It was nearly one o'clock and though everything was just about ready she felt like she was going to be sick. No one else seemed to share her feelings though and that just made her even more nervous. Her father and Michael were sitting in the den watching the news, her mother at the kitchen table reading, and Danielle was putting the finishing touches on breakfast, all while Annie paced the house waiting for the doorbell to go off.

"Annie, darling," her mother soothed from her chair as Annie passed her for the hundredth time, "Why don't you have a seat and take a few deep breaths?"

"No, mom," she sighed, "I really don't think that I could sit still at the moment."

"Come on, Annie," Danielle began, "You're wearing trails into the carpet, everything is going to turn out great but you need to relax."

"Ugh. I know," Annie collapsed into a chair and let her head fall into her arms, "I'm just afraid that something will go wrong!"

"Why, honey," her mother asked, putting her book down, "Is it because of August's disability?"

"What? No," Annie's head popped up, honestly she hadn't even thought of that, of course, not until then, "I don't know what I'm worried about-"

"Wait," Danielle interrupted, "Your boyfriend is handicapped?"

"Oh God," Annie groaned, she was embarrassed already and not by her 'handicapped' boyfriend, "He's not handicapped! I mean, he's blind but-"

"He's blind," Danielle repeated with astonishment, her blue eyes round as apples, "Annie, these are things that you tell people! Does dad know?"

"Does dad know what," Jonathan Walker asked as he stepped into the kitchen, empty coffee cup in hand.

"That Annie's boyfriend is disabled," Danielle blurted.

"I do realize that August is blind, yes," Jonathan replied calmly before Annie could jump at her sister's ignorance, she was just the type that would blow the whole situation out of proportion and not because she was mean, but because she was Danielle. "Annie has told me a lot about her boyfriend and from what I've heard he seems like a respectable young man."

Something about her father being so calm made Annie's nerves seem less hyper. That is, until the doorbell rang.

"Annie, why don't you get the door," her father suggested when she froze by the kitchen threshold.

"Right," Annie muttered to herself, "Get the door."

"And I'll go get my gun," her father stated.

"Dad!" Annie rounded on his, her teeth grinding together.

"I'm just kidding Anne Catherine," he laughed heartily, "Now don't make the boy stand out there all morning. Go get the door."

It seemed to take years to get from the kitchen to the front door but when she yanked it open she was relieved by the sight of Auggie. He stood before her in a navy blue button down and black jeans, his hair tamed by a comb and his chucks were admittedly whiter than usual. Not to mention he smelled like heaven. If she could have, she would have jumped him right then and there but then she imagined her father rounding the corner with a hunting rifle and those thoughts all but dissipated.

"Wow," she breathed, earning a smile from Auggie that just about killed her, "You look- nice."

"Your reaction makes me concerned for how I usually look," he chuckled, "But thanks."

Annie couldn't help but giggle, albeit partially because she was still so damn nervous, as she stepped aside to let him in. Once he was past the threshold he folded up his cane and let her put it on the table by the door. She leaned into him and he rubbed circles into her back.

"You seem tense," he said quietly, "Are you sure you're-"

"August Anderson, I presume," Mr. Walker said with a smile as he came into the entryway, causing Annie and Auggie to jump apart like repelling magnets, "I'm Annie's father, Jonathan Walker and you can call me Mr. Walker."

Annie watched as Auggie's head snapped up to her father, his shoulders straighter, the skin about his knuckles turning white as his hands clenched and unclenched. It was refreshing to know that she wasn't the only one who felt the tension that a situation such as this should bring.

"It's good to meet you, Mr. Walker," he smiled, holding his hand out for her father to shake, "And you can call me Auggie."

Jonathan Walker's blue eyes cut over to Annie before he shook the boy's hand and he gave her a quick wink.

"Well, Auggie, I hope you're hungry," Jonathan said, somewhat seriously as he gently touched Auggie's elbow, "Because my Danielle has made quite a buffet. If you'll just follow me to the kitchen we'll see if things are ready."

A half-surprised half-panicked look crossed Auggie's face as he took Mr. Walker's arm and Annie felt panicked too, not wanting her father to do something that would embarrass her boyfriend or her. It surprised her to notice that he nearly matched Jonathan inch for inch, his height just never seemed as imposing as her father's. She scurried after them as he led Auggie easily through the house. It never ceased to amaze her how her father seemed to know how to do everything. Whether it was putting last minute sequins on her princess costume for Halloween or leading her blind boyfriend without tripping him up, Jonathan Walker never failed at anything.

Next obstacle was her sister and that big mouth of hers.

When they took the two steps up into the kitchen, Annie was happy to see that everything was in its rightful place including, though not limited to, the best honey-banana hotcakes in the world.

"Auggie," her father began, bringing them all to a halt in the kitchen, "I believe you've already met my wife, Catherine-"

"Good to see you again, Mrs. Walker," Auggie smiled, holding out his hand which she quickly took as she offered a soft 'you too'.

Danielle gave Annie a quick look at his words and Annie rolled her eyes. Ignorance kills.

"And my daughter Danielle," he said, no one innocent to the fact that he didn't formally introduce Michael.

"Hi, Auggie," Danielle said with a smile, pulling Michael next to her after they shook hands, "And this is my fiancé, Michael Brooks."

"It's good to meet you both," Auggie said as he shook Michael's hand, "And congrats on the engagement."

"Thank you," Danielle gushed, wrapping her arms around Michael's waist. Annie did her best to keep from gagging and from the look on her father's face she was sure he was doing the same, "It was very recent and we are so excited. Right now we're trying to figure out a good date for the wedding-"

"Alright," Mrs. Walker interrupted, clapping her hands together and saving them all from an earful, "Let us fill up our plates before all this wonderful food gets cold."

oOo

The conversation during breakfast had been polite, the occasional question here and there, and Danielle occasionally blurting out something that she thought of for her wedding. He also noticed Mr. Walker's lack of opinion when wedding plans were mentioned, which, in Auggie's mind, made Mr. Walker's opinion that much louder.

Some twenty minutes later and Auggie noted the clinking of silverware as everyone finished their breakfast, the sound of scraping chairs arriving shortly after. He moved to stand too, though he wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to do. These damn 'meet the parents' ventures should come with a how-to manual. Though, he imagined that it would be a hell of a lot easier if he could actually see.

"You okay," Annie asked, taking the dishes from his hands.

"Yea," he smiled, "I'm- awesome. How am I doing so far?"

"Perfectly," Annie whispered.

"August," Mr. Walker said as soon as Annie disappeared from his side, his giant hand gently conforming to his elbow as it had earlier, "I would like to have a word with you privately. The den would be most comfortable."

"Of course," he replied, forcing himself to sound at ease though he felt totally uncomfortable.

Having Mr. Walker guide him was a concern for Auggie, he usually didn't let strangers do that without cane in hand but he'd let Annie put his cane on the entryway table. It had been a surprise when the man led him to the kitchen that morning but he'd been caught off guard then and Annie had been close behind. This was different but what the hell was he supposed to say?

"Hey, where are you two off to," Annie's voice chimed from behind, her small hand brushing against his shoulder.

"We're off to have a man to man conversation," Mr. Walker informed his daughter, "Don't worry, it won't take long."

"Well- alright," Annie relented, sounding a tad suspicious.

Before Mr. Walker led him to his doom, Annie gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

They made it easily to the den and Mr. Walker even led Auggie's hand to a leather couch that – despite how comfortable it was – he just couldn't make himself relax into. He heard Mr. Walker's footsteps take him somewhere across the room, his seat squeaking at he settled into it. A recliner was Auggie's guess, his own father had a similar one in their den.

"You can relax, Auggie," Mr. Walker said with a smile in his voice. "There are more reasons than one that I brought you down here with me. First of all I have a few questions for you regarding your character and this concert and after that I just needed to get away from the wedding plans."

Auggie couldn't help but chuckle. He was honestly pretty tired of them as well.

"First question," Mr. Walker said, his chair groaning as - Auggie assumed – he leaned forward, "How did you bust that lip of yours?"

"Well," Auggie began, honesty and self-preservation warring inside of his head, "I was out with some friends last night and this jac- jerk made some crude comments about my friend Corrine and I sort of- well, I overreacted."

"Thank you for your honesty," he said, sounding surprised, "I don't condone fighting but a woman's honor should always be defended. Did you win?"

"Naturally," Auggie grinned despite himself.

"Excellent," Mr. Walker laughed, "Now, I'll get straight to the point. What are your plans for the future? College, work force, travel?"

"College," he answered almost immediately. He had wanted to go to college since middle school and with his disability, it would be nearly impossible to get a decent job _without_ going to school, but he didn't think that was worth mentioning. "I've already applied to several universities. My plans are to major in computer science and make a living off of security software and management."

"That's pretty impressive," he said, "Where have you applied?"

"Uh, MIT, Harvard, Georgetown U, Cornell and Brown are my top choices," he began, he could go on for hours about colleges and why he wanted to go. His father once told him that he was a walking advertisement for Ivy League colleges everywhere. "I should be hearing back from a couple of them soon because I have to register for classes early so that they can get the textbooks in braille for me. I have to say that if I had my choice it would be MIT, though, definitely."

"It sounds like you have some solid plans," Mr. Walker approved, but there was a slight hesitation before he asked his next question. Auggie had been expecting it, though he was glad no one brought it up at the table. He hated having everyone uncomfortable because of him. "May I ask you how you lost your sight?"

"Yea," Auggie said quickly. With Annie around, he was getting used to talking about his disability and to be honest, it felt damn good. Like a weight being lifted. "During a CAT scan after a concussion I got when I was sixteen, doctors found a tumor in my brain and determined that it had to be removed if I was going to make it to twenty. Unfortunately it was in a place where its removal left me a 22 percent chance of being able to see at all after the surgery and, obviously, ended up leaving me with nothing."

"So it's only been two years for you," Mr. Walker asked with gentle curiosity. So that's where Annie got it from.

"Yes, sir, it'll be two years in March," Auggie said, finally relaxing back in the squishy couch. It really was quite comfy and, despite the fact that her father was mere feet away, he caught himself thinking of what he and Annie could do on a couch that comfortable. Damn teenage hormones. "I gotta confess that I didn't really start dealing with it until this school year started. Actually, Annie's really gotten a lot out of me and I don't think she even realizes it."

"My Annie has that way about her," Mr. Walker said adoringly, "She's an amazing girl. This brings me to my next- concern. I don't mean to sound condescending or disrespectful but I have my worries about your ability to keep my daughter safe in New York City at night."

"I completely understand," Auggie said after a moment's hesitation. It wasn't Mr. Walker's concern that had his frustration levels peaking but his own limitations. It was something he hadn't really considered before then. "There will be other guys there, my younger brother for one and then my friends Stu and Conrad."

"And you trust these boys," he challenged, no doubt watching Auggie like a hawk.

"With my life, every day," Auggie said sincerely, realizing just how much trust he really did put into his friends, especially Jamie and Stu. "They would never let anything happen to Annie and I would do everything in my power to protect her, too."

"I'm going to trust your judgment, August," Mr. Walker said seriously, though Auggie was almost certain that he could hear the hints of a smile there, "You seem like a respectable young man, whose been through hell and back with dignity and I really do admire you for that. A lot of grown men fall apart going through the things you have-"

Auggie knew he was blushing. No one ever really commended him for anything that had to do with overcoming his disability, it was still too tender for his family and though he couldn't be sure, he had a feeling that that was why it took him so long to deal with it himself.

"However," his voice grew very serious then, all traces of friendliness frozen over, and Auggie felt that old tension creeping back into his posture, "I'm sure you realize what I could do to you should anything- and I mean anything- happen to my daughter while she's with you. And I would suggest that you don't break Annie's heart or I will be obligated to break your mother's. Is that understood?"

"Y-Yes, sir," Auggie nodded with fervor, "It's understood."

"Excellent," Mr. Walker said, his friendly demeanor returning as though nothing had happened, "Lets go back up to the family room for coffee, shall we?"

For once in the past two years, Auggie didn't have to see for Mr. Walker's words to be clear. Crystal clear.

* * *

_**A/N**_: So, what'd you think?  
What do you think will happen on the long road trip, the smoky concert, and the - uhem - hotel room?  
I would love to hear your thoughts!  
-I hope this wasn't too boring...-

Thanks for reading!  
_MM _


	17. Give a Damn

_**A/N**_: Here it is.  
The beginning of the end, really.  
I'm really looking forward to these next chapters.  
I really hope you enjoy it and thanks for being so patient!

_'She likes the taste of Captain Morgan,_  
_Cigarettes, oh, she adores them._  
_She can get a little crazy sometimes._

_Tight shirts and mini skirts, _  
_Her family's rich, so she'll never work._  
_And she's always on my mind. Whoa. _

_I can see the love when I look into her eyes,_  
_If everyone could see what I see inside._

_Well, she lives at night and sleeps all day,_  
_She'll dance and drink her life away._  
_But she doesn't know who I am. _

_She gets what she wants and she doesn't quite,_  
_She might as well get paid for it. _  
_But she doesn't know who I am,_  
_And she doesn't give a damn.'_

-**Give a Damn**, Rocket to the Moon

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Covert Affairs.

* * *

_**Give a Damn**_

Every once in a while Annie would glance over at Auggie lounging in the passenger seat, his head back and eyes closed. They held hands and his thumb worked soothing circles into her skin. She couldn't help but smile. From what she could tell, brunch had gone well and both her father and her boyfriend came back in one piece, smiling after their 'man to man' conversation. Despite all his oddities and loud personality, Annie appreciated her father. He was a good man and she couldn't deny even if she wanted to.

"So," Annie began, unable to stay quiet any longer, "What did you think? Of my family, I mean."

"Your mother seems fun, your sister is slightly insane but sweet," he laughed, "And your dad scares the hell out of me."

"You are quite the profiler," Annie laughed, "You've managed to accurately describe my family after meeting them once. And I'm sorry about my sister, by the way, she and Michael got engaged and then sprung it at the dinner table last night. She has talked about it non-stop since."

"Does it- bother you," Auggie asked carefully, she turned to look at him for a split second to see him staring straight at her. Had her voice revealed her frustration?

"Well-" she took a deep breath, "It's not that I dislike Michael it's just that last time I spoke to her they weren't exactly on good terms, in fact, I believe we had that conversation a week ago. Then she comes home to visit for Thanksgiving – a _family_ celebration for Christ's sake – and springs Michael on us and then just blurts out that she's engaged!

"I mean, what the hell is that? We were supposed to spend time together – _sister_ time – and now she'll be spending most of that time with her _fiancé_," she dragged the word out in a very immature voice, "And even if we get to have sister time, all she's going to do is blabber on about this stupid wedding."

When Annie finished, she was met with silence and turned to see Auggie staring at her with wide eyes. It was then that she realized she'd been rambling and nearly yelling. The car startlingly quiet after her rampage.

"Too much," she asked softly.

"No, no," he said quickly, shaking the shocked look off his face and replacing it with a sympathetic smile, "I was just waiting to make sure you were finished."

She gave him a giggle. Perhaps she had overreacted while simultaneously revealing to her boyfriend just how psychotic she could be.

"I'm sorry, Auggie," she sighed, turning her eyes back to the road. "I didn't mean to freak out on you like that."

One more turn and they would be in Auggie's driveway. She wished they would have more time together but considering it was nearing dinner time and everyone would be meeting at six the next morning to head to New York, she decided she wouldn't pester him with this desire.

"Oh baby," he grinned, "I am a master at handling _and_ dealing freak-outs. I've been best friends with Corrine for a million years, remember?"

"Now that," she said pointedly, "Is a very good point, Mr. Anderson."

"I know, Ms. Walker," he replied, returning to his relaxed position just as they turned into his noticeably crowded driveway. "I know this is going to sound like clichéd and utterly unhelpful advice, but have you talked to Danielle about it?"

"I can't do that," Annie groaned as she put her car in 'park', "She would be so hurt."

"Sometimes it takes a little pain to get things right again."

Normally she would have scoffed at his words, but the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice made her take each and every syllable to heart. He popped up then and unbuckled his seatbelt, turning to look her square in the face. It was times like these that she forgot his 'disability' and thought of him only as Auggie. Only as exactly who he was.

He reached out for her chin, his fingertips bumping her mouth instead. She could have prevented the mishap but she didn't want to. All she wanted was for him to touch her. She'd been aching for it ever since she got in her car after the pool party a few hours before.

Mentally she scolded herself for sounding like those stupid paranormal teen romance novels that her sister forced down her throat. What was it called? She couldn't remember, though she was pretty sure that it had something to do with apples and vampires. She shook it off and leaned in to give him a soft kiss to the mouth. He smiled beneath her touch and she pulled away.

"So, you want to come in," he asked as he absentmindedly played with the ends of her getting-too-long hair. "It's probably a damn mess but you could help me pack for our overnight."

Sweet-Jesus-god-lord-almighty. Their overnight. How amazing did that sound? Without using her big girl words she nodded her head, not even thinking that he may not notice the gesture. But he did. Auggie Anderson noticed everything about her. For a moment – maybe even less, like the consideration of a moment – Annie felt guilty for her hormone-riddled thoughts but all that faded the moment that August Anderson ever-so-slowly let his nose and mouth and glorious eyelashes brush against the curve of her neck, slipping in sweet kisses to her flushed skin.

Was it getting hot in there or was that just her?

"I think-" he kissed her again "My mom-" another kiss, this time to her collarbone "Would love to meet you."

It seemed that he'd stolen her ability to speak and so she settled with nodding just one more time. If only she knew what she was getting herself into.

They walked hand-in-hand up the drive and she watched with fascination as Auggie made his way up the driveway, sidewalk, and stairs without a second thought, his cane, or her help. And her sister called him handicapped. The nerve! It was strange, but she was hardly nervous about stepping into Auggie's hugely chaotic family. But then again, she probably used up all her nervousness that afternoon during brunch. The brain only has so many pain receptors, after all, so perhaps the same rings true for nerves.

"Go ahead and slip off your shoes," Auggie said as he used his toes to shed his Chuck Taylors.

"I remember," she said, feigning offence, "It hasn't been that long since I've been here."

"Sorry, sorry," he grinned, his hands up in surrender.

They'd barely been in the house for two minutes when a small person slid around the corner in his stocking feet, his lamp-like grey eyes honed in on Auggie. That is, until he noticed her. At first he looked shocked, his little mouth forming an 'o' and then he gave her an impish look. She knew that look, it belonged to her boyfriend.

"Who're you," he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm Annie," she answered cautiously, giving him a half smile and narrowing her eyes, "Who're you?"

"Me? I'm Benjamin. Benjamin Harper Anderson," he said in a tone that was all business, holding out his hand to her, "Good to meet you, Annie."

"And you, Benjamin."

"Please, please. Call me Benji," he smiled, revealing two missing teeth.

"Alright, Benj," Auggie shook his head, "Back off of my girlfriend, yea?"

"You're funny, Uncle Auggie but I don't like girls, they have cooties," Benji laughed before turning back to Annie , giving her an apologetic look, "No offense."

"You know, Uncle Matt says the same thing," Auggie chuckled.

"Auggie," Annie exclaimed, shocked, as she smacked Auggie on the shoulder.

"And they hit people too," he groaned rubbing the spot where she hit him before promptly being popped again, all while Benji giggled adorably. "I'm going to tell on you!"

"Who are you telling on," a woman stepped into the entryway, all thin limbs and huge green eyes.

A shudder rocked its way through Annie's body. Now she was nervous. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Mrs. Anderson and Annie realized that she'd just punched the woman's almost-youngest in the shoulder. Way to make an impression, Annie. She could feel her cheeks flaring red and her heart beating like a bass drum.

"Oh, hello," Mrs. Anderson smiled, patting her hands on her floor length skirt, "August, who is this? Introduce me."

"Mom," Auggie said. His smile changed then, softening around the edges and looking a bit – was it possible? - nervous. He reached out for Annie's hand which she took and subconsciously moved slightly behind him, "This is Annie Walker, my girlfriend. Annie this is my mom, Julia Anderson."

The look on Mrs. Walker's face was unmistakable, she looked upset. A hurried smile fell over her mouth though, hiding the look that told Annie she wasn't welcome, and she held out a finely manicured hand for Annie to shake.

"Oh goodness," she said somewhat breathlessly, "Annie, it's good to meet you. I've heard so much about you."

"You too," Annie answered softly, her voice cheaping out on her again.

"So what trouble were you kids getting into," she asked Benji with a grin.

"Annie was beating up Uncle Auggie for saying that Uncle Matt thinks girls got cooties," Benji explained matter-of-factly.

Julia Anderson turned to her son with wide, shocked eyes.

"August," she gasped, though Annie could see the woman struggling against her laughter, "That is inappropriate!"

"Sorry, mom," Auggie replied, unable to mask his smile.

"Alright, well get in the kitchen, I just finished making coffee and streusels," Julia rushed away, like she had too much energy to stay in one place for too long.

"We'll be down in a minute, Annie's going to help me get some clothes together for the road trip tomorrow," Auggie said, tugging Annie towards the stairs.

He may have missed it but Annie most certainly saw the hurt look on Mrs. Walker's face.

oOo

The knock on the door shoved her out of her nap. She hadn't been expecting anyone to come around, at least, not this soon. Her eyelids were heavy, her limbs pulling her into the couch, skin hot, heartbeat slow. She slid easily back into her sleep, she didn't want to see anyone, she didn't want to remember. The knocking persisted and she dragged herself from the couch, pausing when her vision fills with stars. She can't remember a time she'd slept so well, that her mind had been so quiet.

Her feet padded softly across the floor, her tube socks muffling her weight. Subconsciously her heart thuds faster as she turns the lock and wraps her fingers around the doorknob, normally she wouldn't lock the door but lately it seemed she needed to lock the world out. It surprised her to see him standing on her porch, looking tired and perhaps a little sad. He was the last person she expected to show up.

"Conrad," she breathed, hope whispering in the depths of her chest.

"Can I come in," he asked formally, shushing the hope to silence, "I need to talk to you."

"Of course," she said, her voice still hoarse with sleep. "What time is it?"

"It's almost six, Corrine," he said with exasperation, "Have you been sleeping all day?"

"Since I got home last night," she answered shortly, weaving her way into the kitchen. She was thirsty as hell.

"Jesus, let's turn some goddamn lights on, yea," Conrad mumbled, "It's like Auggie's room in here."

Corrine gave him a soft chuckle but it was all she could spare. It was still a mystery as to why he was standing in her kitchen, watching her extract a bottle of Smart Water from the fridge. She was preparing for the onslaught; the yelling, the name calling, the disappointment. It was all too familiar for Corrine, but coming from Conrad she suspected that it would feel a lot worse.

"Corrine, look at me," he said softly, moving in close so that he could lift her chin with the tips of his fingers, "I just want to talk about this, I'm done being angry, I'm not going to yell at you. Stop shrinking away from me, stop hiding. It makes me tired."

"It makes me tired too," she said quietly, staring up into his blue eyes and catching herself leaning into his touch. It was just so damn familiar, so damn comfortable and she couldn't help taking advantage of it, it was just too easy. "No. No, no. I can't do this."

Easily she slipped through his fingers, as she'd done so many times, to return to her couch-turned-bed and fall back asleep. Maybe if she did she would wake up far enough in the future to forget everything that was wrong with the now. Conrad's long strides shadowed her own and she wished that he would just go away but she knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't. As she folded herself on the couch, Conrad sat beside her, too close for her tastes at that moment.

"Why," he whispered, trying to catch her attention, "Why can't you do this? What's changed, Corrine?"

"I don't love you," she said pointedly, not to hurt him, just to get it off her chest, "Not like you want me to."

For several long moments he stared at her, his deep eyes thoughtful and still carrying that god awful hurt. It was a battle for her to keep her eyes on him, to stand what she'd done to yet another one of her victims but at this point he at least deserved her attention, she owed him that.

"I know," he said simply, his broad shoulders seeming to deflate.

"I want to, I try-"

"I know, Corrine," he whispered gently, "You're still in love with him and I get that, but you've got to face the facts; he doesn't love you anymore Corrine, not like that."

To hear some outside observer say it was more painful than she'd expected, much like a blow to the gut. It was official now. All that time she'd spent pushing away the one boy she'd been in love with, holding him at a distance so that neither could get hurt and here she was dying inside with a knife through her heart.

"But I'm here," continued Conrad, "Let me be with you, let me take care of you. At least for now."

There was a slight pause and Corrine was vaguely aware of the fact that her vision was distorted with a veil of tears that fled from her eyes as she blinked.

"I love you, Corrine," he hushed, gently carrying away her tears with his thumb as she sat numbly beside him, "Let me love you."

"Okay," she whispered, allowing him to reel her in with his beautiful blue eyes and heated skin.

Soon they were kissing, hard, each one choking down their regrets and sorrows with tainted love. It was a pact, it seemed, to give each other what they couldn't have.

And that's when it started.

That's when she knew that it was time to start saying goodbye to August Anderson.

oOo

The disappointment in his mother's reaction to his incredible girlfriend hadn't slipped past Auggie's attention; he'd simply decided to ignore it as soon as it made itself know. This was a habit he'd come to possess as a young child. No one that Auggie brought home would ever be good enough for Julia Anderson and it wouldn't make a bit of difference if he was the happiest man in the world with said girl. Why? Because at some point in the distant past, when Auggie was still a toddler, Julia Anderson decided that her son would forever be paired with none other than the tragically beautiful Corrine Morgan. It seemed that there was nothing the girl could do that would make Julia relinquish this insane idea.

Sure, there'd been a point in Auggie's life that he would've gladly claimed Corrine as his own, but she'd made it abundantly clear that she didn't share his feelings. But then something magical happened: In the midst of this heartbreak, he'd fallen in love.

And yet, though Auggie was perfectly content to let go of his mother's disapproval, he knew that the girl he'd fallen in love with – the one fidgeting on his bed – was dwelling on it. By the agitated squealing of his bed springs, he knew that Annie's leg was shaking and he gathered by the hot gaze on his back, that she was contemplating whether or not she should approach him about the not-so-welcoming welcome from his mother. Should he ease her tension and bring it up for her? It would be kind of him. Was he going to be the sweet, problem-solving boyfriend? Not today. If she wanted him to help her with her issues, she needed to face those issues first.

In relieving himself of his dress shirt, Auggie bumped the delicate bruise on his hipbone, making his eyes cross in pain. He could tell it was really swollen without even touching it and he made a mental note not to let his mother see it unless he wanted an impromptu visit to the emergency room. As he pulled his t-shirt over his head, Annie's anxiety finally bubbled over.

"I don't think your mother likes me," she said in a mangled bluster of words, "No. I _know_ she doesn't like me."

Auggie spun to face her as he pulled his shirt over the brim of his jeans, it felt good to be in normal people clothes again. He hated feeling dressed up.

"Annie, you have to understand that my mother-"

"Holy crap!"

The sudden exclamation made Auggie jump, his bed springs protesting as Annie flung herself at him, her hands suddenly grabbing at the hem of his shirt.

"Shit, Annie, if you wanted to take my clothes off you could have just asked," he said as she lifted his shirt almost up to his shoulder, her fingers trailing feather light of his heated, bruised skin.

"Hush. What happened to you," she asked, still sounding worried.

"Nothing, Annie," he managed a smile but found it difficult to speak as her fingers skimming his hips made the blood rush southward from his head, "I- uh- I had a disagreement with a barstool this morning, it happens, especially whe- God, you've got to quit that."

He groaned and grabbed Annie's hand, pulling her close so that his arms wrapped around her and her breasts pressed into his chest. At some point he'd found her mouth with his, his hand shoved into her hair, her hands exploring his back beneath his shirt.

"Much as I hate to say this," Auggie breathed, unable to detach his hands from her hips, "We should probably throw some of my stuff together and head downstairs before my mother comes to investigate and believe me, she will."

"Mm." Annie nodded against his chest and he felt goosebumps crawl up his skin as her hair brushed against his stomach. "Okay, what do you need, just jeans and stuff?"

"Yea," he said, finally pulling away. He went to his closet and pulled out his nylon messenger bag, it would be big enough for overnight, "If you grab me some jeans and a t-shirt, then I'll grab some sweats to sleep in-"

"Oh god," Annie giggled from his closet, "What in the world is this?"

"What's what?"

"Do you seriously have a '1 Up' shirt?"

"Hey," Auggie grinned, "That is a classic!"

"A classic what," Annie laughed, "Proclamation of nerdiness?"

"Back off, Walker," he said, his face all serious, "Mario is the greatest game that has ever been created. Show some respect."

"Do forgive me," she answered lowly, her thin arms slipping around his torso, "I hadn't realized what I was talking about."

"It will be difficult," Auggie breathed, backing Annie up to the edge of his bed, distracted by the shape of her body against his. "I will have to take it into consideration-"

Annie's knees buckled as they hit the edge of his bed and they went down together, his hip knocking against hers. With a groan, he squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip, staving off the blunt pain that rocketed from his hip to his foot.

"Hmm," Annie said sarcastically, "I have this strange feeling that your gigantic purple bruise may be a little more than 'nothing'. But of course, that's just my opinion. What do you think?"

"It's just a bruise, Annie, I've done a lot worse before," he said as he regretfully rolled off of his girlfriend and onto his back.

"Yes, but I imagine that those previous injuries didn't do much to interfere with your sex life," she replied matter-of-factly.

"Ugh."

"So, would you like me to get you some frozen peas for that?"

He laughed.

"And that's why I love you."

* * *

**_A/N:_** Maybe not exactly what I promised, but honestly, I like this chapter.  
But that doesn't really matter!  
I'm more interested in what you think!


	18. Between Sheets

_**A/N**_: So, I can't make any guarantees as to how good this chapter is...  
I'm in a bit of a sleepy daze at the moment and I rushed to get this done so that I can get to work xD  
Anyways, I'm going to start asking now for Christmas present suggestions from Auggie to Annie the other way around. I need help with that!

This story is going to start speeding away soon and if you would like a sequel let me know!  
If enough people want one I have a couple of ideas, so if you guys tell me I'll start getting it together now!

'_You and me between the sheets,_  
_It just doesn't get better than this._  
_The many windswept yellow stickies of my mind,_  
_Are the molten emotional front line._  
_I couldn't care less I'm transfixed in this absolute bliss_...'

Imogen Heap

* * *

_**Between Sheets**_

It was true, Annie was a morning person. Despite waking up at four-thirty in the morning to prepare for the road trip, she was possessed by high spirits, her foot heavy on the accelerator as she wove her way through Corrine's neighborhood. Though, she had to admit that she was surprised when she received the news – via text – that they would still be meeting at Corrine's house, despite the dramatic happenings of Wednesday night.

When she pulled into Corrine's nearly full driveway, her heart started pumping madly. The thought of spending a couple days with her friends, completely unsupervised, made her incredibly happy but the fact that she would be there with her amazing boyfriend – overnight! – stunned her to the point of senselessness. Subconsciously she wondered whether or not her jammies were suitable. Quickly, she threw her car into park and gathered her things, slamming the door shut behind her. It echoed through the fall chilled morning.

The inside of Corrine's house was the same as ever, only this time there were more lights on, for which Annie was grateful. She could still feel tiny shivers of fear creep up her spine from the last time she was there, Corrine's screams echoing through her memories.

"Oh, morning Annie," Stu smiled brightly, carrying what looked to be a case of cherry Coke. "Pretty much everyone's in the kitchen-" he paused for a moment, looking her over with this tiny little grin that obviously said 'but I know you're not looking for everyone' – "But Auggie's doing his best zombie impression in the living room."

"Thanks, Stu," she smiled jubilantly.

It's said that opposites attract and in many ways this saying rang true with Auggie and Annie; he was the dark to her light, the spice to her sweet, and certainly the grumpy-morning-person to her happy-morning-person. For a few moments she watched him from the living room entryway as he sat slumped in an armchair, his hood pulled up, aviators hiding his eyes, arms crossed over his chest, lip still bruised - he looked strangely badass and Annie could feel her stomach contracting.

As quietly as she could, she walked up to him, her sneakered feet nearly noiseless on the hardwood.

"Anyone who knows me should have figured out by now that it's impossible to creep up on me," he mumbled, sounding sleepy but vaguely amused.

"Fine," she pouted, "Ruin my fun."

"Annie," he gave her a smile, sitting up a little straighter, "I should've known it was you."

"And why is that," she mused, standing just an inch away from his own sneakered feet.

There were times that she just wanted to watch him talk, to see his mouth move, forming words and phrases, saying her name. She thought he had quite a nice mouth, especially when it was conjoined with her own.

"Because you're the only one who still thinks you can," he flashed a brilliant smile.

"I never give up," she said matter-of-factly.

"Believe me, I know," he chuckled, letting his head drift back against the chair.

It was obviously by the color of his skin that he was exhausted and she wondered why. She had gotten a good night's sleep and she assumed that everyone else had. Though, she had always been the first in bed and the first out. Auggie, on the other hand…

"Are you tired," she asked, slipping into his lap, gently brushing back his hood and his hair with her nails. He gave her a soft groan in answer and she smiled, "Were you up late last night?"

"I'm nocturnal," he whined, "I'm not made to be awake before noon."

"I'm sure I can wake you up," she all but whispered.

Flipping herself around so that she was straddling his hips, she let her mouth graze the corner of his lips, his sunglasses getting epically in the way. His hands slid automatically to her hips, his thumbs grazing the bones there. Everything about the feel of him amazed her; the bones beneath his skin, the muscles that contracted, the smooth flesh of his mouth- he caught her in a kiss that sent her spinning and her nimble fingers found enough coordination to slip off his aviators. Eyes closed, he took them from her and set them on the end table beside him, pulling her close enough that her chest pressed into his-

"Hey lovebirds," Corrine interrupted. Annie snapped around to see Corrine leaning casually against the entryway framing, a smirk on her face, "If you two could detach for a while and help us get these things into the car, you could continue your love-fest and we could get on the road."

"Kill joy," Auggie grumbled.

"Whatever."

Corrine pulled herself off the wall and flipped Auggie the bird as she disappeared around the corner. Annie giggled.

"Just so you know, Corrine just flipped you off," she said, hands on his shoulders, staring into dark brown eyes.

"She would," he rolled his eyes, "Bitch."

"So, I take it she's coming and you're not happy about it," Annie observed unnecessarily.

"That and Conrad is being an idiot," Auggie scoffed.

"What do you mean," she asked.

"Let me put it this way," he began, sitting up a little straighter and retrieving his sunglasses from the end table, "Corrine is using Conrad like a dog and Conrad doesn't give a damn as long as he can have her. It pisses me off."

"Maybe you should just let things be, let them figure it out," Annie sighed, "They're both eighteen and sometimes you just have to let them make their own mistakes."

"All I know is that there better be no tantrums at the concert," he grumbled, "Because if there are, I'm going to have to kick some ass."

"Alright killer," Annie laughed, climbing off of Auggie's lap and pulling him up from the couch, "Let's get these things in the car and get on the road. I'm ready to get to the hotel."

Auggie grinned his impish grin and yanked her in closer, "I like the way you think, Walker."

oOo

Three hours into the drive and Auggie was feeling restless. He hadn't been on a road trip like this since he went blind and he hadn't realized how much driving kept a person occupied. His iPod was definitely almost dead, he didn't feel like reading and he was starting to feel a bit carsick in the back. For years before he'd even gotten his permit he loved driving and being subjected to the backseat was hell.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you were doing the potty dance," Annie said from beside him, her small fingers lacing through his.

He loved how physical she was, how comfortable she was with touch, especially since it was so important for him now. He'd dated girls before who shied away from him and it just wasn't as intimate, but Annie was just the opposite.

"I'm bored," he sighed, sitting up and angling toward her, "And I hate the backseat."

"Well, I have to go potty, so," Annie said, her voice sounding just a bit stressed, "Hey Conrad, can we stop at a gas station, I've gotta potty!"

"Jesus," Conrad sighed dramatically, "Already? You chicks are ridiculous!"

"Hey, don't talk about us, I've got my period and-" Corrine blurted out.

There was an entire chorus of "Ew!" "Oh God" "Christ, Corrine!" "WHAT?". Corrine laughed her head off the entire time and all Auggie could do was roll his eyes, she loved to shock people as often as she could.

"That's it, we're pulling over and someone else is driving," Conrad said, and Auggie was pretty sure that there was disappointment in his tone. Someone was hoping to get laid on this trip.

A few minutes later and the ginormous Escalade was pulling over into a parking lot, Annie was the first one out, having climbed over Auggie's lap to get to the door. Auggie was close behind. The fresh air was crisp but it was more than welcome after the stuffy three hour ride. In one swift movement he had his cane unfolded and was heading in any direction that was clear, all he wanted was to get away from the vehicle and towards hot coffee.

"Augs," Stu said, "Where are you going?"

That was one thing about Stu; everyone assumed that Auggie didn't know where the hell he was going and would tell him immediately, 'Auggie, store is this way' 'Wrong way, dude' 'Hey Daredevil, your shadow-vision is faulty'. Stu on the other hand, always assumed that Auggie knew exactly where he was going and felt like he was imposing for saying anything. Auggie very much appreciated it.

"Not sure, actually," Auggie smiled, "Where you at?"

"Here," Stu said quietly, his hand brushing against Auggie's arm.

There was definitely something different in the feel of Stu, he was more solid, stronger than he was a year and a half ago. His voice came from somewhere higher up too and it was only times like these that Auggie remembered that he wasn't the only one growing into his age. It was strange to think about really, how much everything – and everyone – can change in so short a timeframe.

Auggie kept his grip loose, casual, on Stu's arm and let his cane do most of the talking. He felt like moving, jumping, running. He'd been cooped up for far too long and he wasn't looking forward to the next eleven hours of being useless.

"What's buggin' you, man," Stu asked as they stepped up onto the curb of the _Sheets_ shop.

"What do you mean," Auggie asked coyly.

If he was going to confess his problems to anyone, it would be Stu? In fact, Stu had been his most trusted confidant since his surgery but today? Today he didn't want to sound weak, he just wanted to feel like everyone else. Normal.

"I get it, never mind," Stu sighed.

The bell over the door _ding_ed generically as they stepped inside and the smell of greasy breakfast food overwhelmed him; God, he loved _Sheets_. It was like McDonalds on steroids but the best part? They had about a million different coffees, all hot and ready to go.

"What kind of coffee you want," Stu asked, somewhat dejectedly.

"Come on, Stu," Auggie groaned, all he wanted was some coffee but now he had to mend something. Drama never sleeps. "It's nothing personal, I just want some coffee, that's it. I'll feel better once I've had some caffeine."

"Alright, what kind do you want," Stu asked, leading Auggie close enough to the coffee pots that he could hear them percolating. "Raspberry?"

"Ah Stuart, you know me so well," Auggie attempted a smile but Stu's persona didn't seem to improve much. "Look Stu, it's really nothing-"

"This is what we talked about," Stu all but hissed, "You keep all this 'nothing' bottled up- you promised that you would talk to me about these things-"

"What, so I'm not supposed to have any privacy anymore? Is that it?" Auggie countered. Not aggressive, just tired.

"No," Stu deflated, "I don't know, here's a cup and here's the pot handle."

Auggie expertly poured himself a cup of coffee, a trick he'd learned in the first few months after he'd gone blind, all he needed was to listen. Once his cup was full, he took a sip. Black. Just how it should be.

"You want to know," he asked as Stu poured his own cup.

"Obviously," Stu murmured back.

"I miss driving," he answered pointedly.

"Why didn't you just say that," Stu asked incredulously.

"I don't know, because I don't broadcast everything."

"You think you don't," Stu argued, "But you do. Every little thing that bothers you is written all over your body language, you don't hide it like you think you do."

"I've been hearing that a lot lately," Auggie smirked. The only one he was really good at lying to was Corrine and that's because he did it so often. "Look, I'm sorry, alright?"

"I don't want you to apologize," Stu touched Auggie's arm again and they stood in line together, "I just want you to stay honest with me. I'd like to think you that I'm your best friend and I just- I want to keep it that way."

"You are my best friend, Stu," Auggie asserted, "I guess sometimes I just feel whiny."

"Don't worry," Stu chuckled, "I'll let you know with a friendly punch in the face if that ever happens."

"Aw, Stuart," Auggie crooned dramatically, "I love you too, man."

"Shut up, dude," Stu whispered self-consciously, "We're in public."

Auggie laughed.

When they all gathered back outside, it was decided that Annie and Auggie would occupy the front seats while everyone else tried to get some shut eye. For this, Auggie was grateful. Some time with his girlfriend and control of the radio, it really couldn't get much better. He relaxed back into his seat and that's when Jamie piped up.

"We should play a game," he said, Auggie could have killed him.

"Like what," Annie asked immediately, of course she would be the one that enjoyed car games.

"I don't know," Jamie groaned.

So Auggie wasn't the only one who was bored to death.

"We could play I Spy," Clare said softly.

Jamie laughed immediately, "Yea, I'm sure that Auggie would beast that game."

"Okay, okay," Auggie cleared his throat, "I spy with my little eye something really big and empty. What is it?"

"Ooh, ooh," Jamie said and Auggie could imagine him on the edge of his seat, hand straight up in the air, what one might call 'Hermione pose'. "I know, I know. It's nothing!"

"Aw damn," Auggie pouted, "He got it already!"

"It was just a suggestion," Clare said softly, sounding especially embarrassed.

Auggie turned around in his seat to face her, "No if you want to play that's fine. I think it would be interesting just to hear what the idiots in the back seat can come up with."

"It's settled," Corrine announced, "I Spy it is!"

An hour later and they'd been through everything from the pine tree air freshener to Auggie's ego – which Corrine started and Annie got disturbingly fast, they bonded over this – everyone finally started petering out. Dropping off one by one. Soon it was eerily quiet after the raucous laughter of their games and Auggie found himself nodding off.

"How's it going over there," Annie asked, just as he started to slip into dreaming. "You're awfully quiet."

In her defense, he still had his shades on and she didn't realize that all he wanted to do was sleep.

"Alright," he answered, sitting up straighter in an attempt to keep himself awake. "How are you doing? You need any snacks or anything?"

"I'm alright for now," she said serenely, "It's really nice, being on the road right now, you know? Just us and the road ahead. I'm really glad that dad let me come, I mean, I probably would have figured out a way to come anyways but since he knows and is okay with it there's a lot less stress on me. That's the thing, it may sound lame, but I dwell on whether or not my parents approve of what I'm doing. This is also why it's extra great that I have an amazing boyfriend that my family loves."

The engine moaned as Annie pressed harder on the accelerator and Auggie could feel himself being pressed into his seat, it made him nervous, flying at such high speeds. He knew Annie had a tendency to be a bit led-footed – especially once you got her talking – but something about the open road made things even worse. Granted, she certainly was as bad as Corrine.

"Although I can't see the speedometer, I'm going to have to ask you to slow down," Auggie said, the tension in his voice quite clear.

"Hm? Oh god! Yea, I probably should slow down," she laughed nervously, "You know how I get to talking and lose track of everything else."

"Yes, yes I do," he chuckled.

And damn did he love her laugh. He was anxiously awaiting the moment that he could once again get her between sheets. Slow down, Anderson.

oOo

By the time they reached the hotel, Annie was staggering on her feet. She'd been awake for eighteen hours and she simply wasn't used to that. Subconsciously, she leaned her weight into Auggie who was carrying both his bag and hers, all while using his cane to navigate so she could use him as support. Such a gentleman. He slid his arm around her hips, using his thumb to rub tiny circles into her side.

"Hi, I have a reservation for Morgan," Corrine said in her sultry voice to the young man behind the check-in counter. He looked over the group with suspicious eyes as he did some typing on his computer.

"Corrine Morgan," he asked with professional snootiness. One eyebrow raised, Corrine curtly nodded her consent. _Tread carefully_, Annie thought to herself, _these are dangerous waters bow-tie-guy_. "You have a reservation for one night in a two bedroom suite, yes?"

"That's correct," she answered in her best poison sweet voice, she was an expert.

"And how will you be making payment," he asked, looking down his nose at her. "You should know that we don't accept cash."

"Well, how convenient," she smiled brightly, "Here's my Visa. Would you like my ID?"

"No," he replied stiffly, "That won't be necessary."

Corrine grinned triumphantly.

The room was as wonderful but all Annie could see – despite the wall of windows, the small but pretty kitchen, and plush couches – was the bed. She glimpsed it as they went to drop their things in the closet area and immediately made for it, her body demanding that she sleep. Doing her most impressive belly-flop, she fell onto it, allowing herself to sink into its heavenly pillow-top. A moan eased its way from her mouth as her muscles finally relaxed.

"You comfortable," Auggie asked from the doorway after she abandoned him, "You sound comfortable."

"Oh, darling," she groaned, "I'm beyond comfortable."

She rolled onto her back and watched her boyfriend skillfully make his way to the bed, head down as he focused. With a couple of easy movements he was at the bed and folding up his cane, she took his hands, pulling him up with her.

"Jesus," he grinned, "If you fall out of this bed you could break your back."

"Isn't it wonderful," she yawned.

She flopped back onto the abundance of pillows and let her eyes close as Auggie lined her left-side. A smile passed over her mouth as she rolled onto her side and he played with her hair. This was certainly going to be the best trip of her life. Her eyes popped open as his lips pressed into her neck and she rolled over to kiss him- yawning involuntarily in the process.

"To be continued," he laughed softly as she tried to reign in her enormous yawn.

"Absolutely."

They clumsily pulled on their pajamas, brushed their teeth and climbed into bed. Annie tucked herself into Auggie's form and closed her eyes as his strong arm draped over her stomach. It may not have been the kind of 'sleeping together' they had been planning for their first night but it was still damn good.


	19. Yours

_**A/N: **_I apologize for this being so late.  
I had to do a rewrite.  
I was getting too far away from my style and it was driving me loopy.  
So this is what happened, I'm not sure where it came from.  
It's kind of just- Gah. I don't know, you'll find out.

I'm still in dire need of suggestions for Christmas presents and what you would like to see in a sequel.  
I hope this chapter is better than the last xD  
Anyways, thanks for the lovely reviews that you've all been sending my way.  
Each one is so inspiring I just can't say how much you guys mean to me!

Alright, enough of this, I've been listening to way too much sad music.  
Oh and I'm going to try to post every two weeks from now on.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Covert Affairs. If I did, the seasons would be longer. Obviously.

'_When I make a deal it's so I can steal all yours _  
_When I'm stormin' thru turnin' black to blue I'm yours _  
_When I check you off nearly every box I'm yours _  
_I'm awake to this you turn on and shit I'm yours _

_I hope _  
_I glow.._.'

-Fay Wolf, Yours

_**Yours**_

He couldn't be sure of what woke him up exactly – obviously not the sun – he figured that it must have been his internal clock telling him it was time for school. The feel of her beside him tugged a smile from his mouth and he rolled over, burying his face in her hair. The way Annie smelled was cataloged in his brain and he was positive that he would never forget it; grapefruit, lavender, sweet-mint toothpaste and that subtle smell that could only be described as Annie Walker. He could do this for the rest of his life. Gently he kissed her neck, only receiving a small sleepy moan in return. Damn, girl could sleep.

Auggie flopped back on the bed, eyes wide open, one arm trapped beneath Annie's weight – then he realized something. It was the first time that he'd woken up without even considering the fact that he couldn't see. The idea twisted in his stomach. On one hand, he was moving on, living again, and on the other – well – he was moving on. Did that mean he was getting used to seeing nothing, forgetting what he was missing out on every day? God he hoped not. He didn't think that he could deal with that.

With a groan he slid his arm out from under his girlfriend, sat up and stretched his arms over his head. There was no way that he was going to be depressed – for lack of a better word – that day. No, he was going to enjoy himself. A grin on his face, he grabbed his cane from the nightstand and unfolded it, between his busted lip and the bruise on his hip he wasn't going to take any chances for the sake of his pride.

Christ, he _was_ getting used to it.

"You're up early," Corrine's voice greeted him softly as he pulled the bedroom door shut with little more than a bump.

"I could say the same of you," he smiled. "Why are you up-"

"Shh," she hushed him, her fingers entwining with his, "Everyone else is still asleep. Let's talk outside."

The morning air was crisp, prickling across Auggie's skin like an electrical current. As Corrine slid closed the glass door that lead to the balcony, Auggie used his wicked cane skills to find one of the metal chairs and plopped himself into it. The thing was like a block of ice and he winced. This was just an amazing idea. Sarcasm intended.

"So, what woke you up," she asked.

He could hear another metal chair scraping across the balcony floor.

"I don't know," he answered, vaguely wondering what time it was and if the sun was coming up yet, "Just woke up, my body's still thinking about school or something. You?"

"Mm. I was too warm in that bed. It's like it was trying to swallow me or something."

That was just so Corrine. He could hear the flick of her lighter, the smell of tobacco following soon after. He didn't cough, not anymore, sometimes he actually enjoyed the smell of cigarettes but maybe because that smell was her and no matter how the definition of the term had changed between them, he still loved her.

"So you're back with Conrad," Auggie asked casually.

"Mm."

"How'd that happen," Auggie grinned, "Last I heard you were making out with a certain Indian boy-"

"Are you really going to berate me with that right now," she drawled.

"I'm not berating you but I would like to know why it is that you were cheating on one of my best friends with a sleaze like Jai!"

"You are and I don't appreciate it, don't get aggressive with me because I will stop talking to you altogether. It's your choice."

Their voices rang out at the same time and ended abruptly, silence enveloping them almost immediately. For several moments they hung onto the silence, Auggie trying to keep his temper under wraps. Until then he hadn't realized that he was still that annoyed with her. His emotions had been doing that lately; conning him into a false sense of security and ambushing him when he least expected it.

"Sometimes I do things that I don't understand," Corrine said, "I hate it when I do and know it's stupid while I'm doing it and I still can't stop it. I just get these feelings- I don't know- There are times that it feels like no one can see me so I do things that will _make_ them see me."

"Why don't you just talk to someone," Auggie argued, clearly not understanding, "Oh, I don't know, like me?"

"Wow. You really don't get it," she replied with incredulity, "You're too wrapped up in your girlfriend to see me August. But it's okay, new and shiny things are always hard to look away from."

"Whoa now," Auggie shook his head, "Don't try to pin all of this on me. You never come to me, Cory, but when you finally decide you need to expand your pity party and you do call me, I'm always there. So don't even try that one."

"You're right," she said with a soft laugh.

They fall into another silence. A pattern of togetherness that only they can decipher.

"Are you happy," he asks quietly, "With Conrad?"

For the longest time she didn't answer, so long that Auggie was beginning to wonder if she'd fallen asleep on the incredibly uncomfortable chair.

"I'd like to say yes," she answered thoughtfully, the distance clear in her voice, "But when I'm being honest, I don't know. When I'm with him, I'm fine. When I'm alone- well, that's a new monster entirely."

"Just so you know," Auggie started, weighing his words on his tongue, times such as this needed to be treated with great care because the slightest hint of something else could break her, "Even though I'm with Annie and I plan to be for a long time, I'll always have time for you-" he trailed off and in the silence noted the weight that hung above them, "-Which means, no more excuses for pulling shit to get my attention. That ship has officially sailed."

"Alright, alright," she laughed and it warmed him like a summer breeze.

It was rare that she laughed like that, honestly, whole heartedly. That laugh never made an appearance when there was an audience, so Auggie treasured each and every one because – when she allowed herself that laugh – it meant that everything really was okay, at least for the time being.

"I'll always be yours, August Anderson," she said so softly he wasn't sure that she'd meant for him to hear it. "No matter what you think. I'll always be yours."

oOo

The lights of the TV flickered across her face, the sounds of it washing around her like an old, familiar blanket but she wasn't paying attention to any of it. Annie and Auggie were tangled on the couch together with her mostly in his lap and his arm wrapped just beneath her breasts. Every contraction of muscle in his arm sent a thrill through her. Internally she giggled at herself, she couldn't remember a time that she'd been so horny.

She laid her head back against his shoulder and forced herself to stare at the TV, concentrating on the way the characters moved across the screen. Honestly, she had no idea what was going on and frankly she was almost positive that she'd missed too much to catch up. All she knew was that there was man with fez holding a mop, talking to a crying man in a roman suit. Yea. There was no way on this planet she was catching up.

"Is anyone else hungry," Stu asked hopefully.

"Are you hungry, Stu," Auggie asked like a mother hen, his voice rumbling through her chest. "You want me to make you a sandwich?"

"Hey, I'm serious," Stu said, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm starving, my stomach eating a hole in itself and soon you'll be able to see right through me."

"A little dramatic, don't you think," Auggie grinned, making Annie giggle. "I get what you mean though, I'm hungry too."

"I was just going to say that," Conrad intoned, looking suddenly quite alert.

"His stomach's been grumbling for a good hour now," Corrine sighed, "I'm surprised he didn't say anything sooner. He's such a baby when he's hungry."

"It's true," Conrad admitted, "But this show is a riot! I guess it was enough of a distraction. "

"And you never believed me before," Auggie shook his head. "You people should start listening to me more often. Blind guy or not, I have excellent taste in television."

"That and you're a geek," Jamie chuckled, earning a scowl from his older brother.

"Poor Auggie," Annie cooed, "So underappreciated."

Placing a hand on his chest, she kissed him square on the mouth and enjoyed the way his eyes rolled back and slid shut as she did so.

"So we should go get dinner," Corrine said, "Then after that we can get in line for the concert. Alright everyone, let's get our in-public clothes on and head out."

Without any hesitation, Annie hopped off of Auggie's lap and pulled him off the couch, eager to get him in the bedroom alone. He followed her willingly. Once their door was closed, she pulled him into her and stood on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck. He laughed, looking down towards her, his smile all trouble.

"I don't know what was in your Kool-Aid," he grinned, "But I like it."

Annie maneuvered him onto the bed and promptly took her place on his lap with her legs wrapped about his waist. All she could think about was the way he smelled and the way he felt beneath her and the way he looked at her and- it was just too much. Using her weight on his shoulders, she laid him back and pressed her mouth against his forehead, nose, cheeks, mouth, and eyes. Her lips hovered just above his eyes, lashes tickling her mouth. This was what she wanted, what she'd been craving.

In one magical movement, he flipped her over, his weight crushing against her hips in the most desirable way. Nimble fingers had her shirt gone so quickly that she didn't remember it happening and without her realizing, his knee had managed to part her legs. She could feel him hardening against her and their kissing had become rhythmic despite their desperation. Auggie pressed his palms against her hipbones and-

"Auggie, Annie," a voice called, preceding three hard knocks on their door, "Pick up the pace, I'm hungry."

"Damn," she muttered breathlessly, they'd been so close.

Auggie's head rested against her shoulder and she could feel him steadying his breathing. She chuckled.

"Figures."

"What figures?"

"It figures," she said, pushing herself to sitting, "That we have a weekend together and now we can't even- you know-"

"Doesn't it though," he smirked, "I've gotta hit the bathroom, you should change."

As Auggie scurried off the bathroom, Annie grinned. Their weekend wasn't over yet.

oOo

The crowd rushed around him, encasing him in a sea of sound and movement. The feeling was disorienting in the same way as vertigo. Without sight to ground him, it felt like he was floating around with the voices that he couldn't discern and it made him feel seasick. Auggie wrapped his arms more securely about Annie's waist, using her as a tether to stay grounded. And he'd thought the crowds after school were bad.

"You okay," Annie asked, leaning her head back against his chest. "You seem a little anxious."

"I'm fine," he answered quickly.

He didn't turn his eyes down towards her for fear that he may get sick. This whole thing seemed ridiculous to him, this reaction he was having. After all, Annie was in his arms, Jamie was at arm's length to his left and he could hear Stu right behind as he filled someone's ears with WoW advice. Still, he felt queasy. Maybe it was the volumes of pizza he consumed at the pizzeria for dinner or maybe it was some of that old anxiety creeping up again. That damn subconscious is always out to get you.

The thought that his cane might help had crossed his mind, perhaps having some sense of autonomy would ease his stomach but he also didn't want to ask Annie for it and he didn't think it necessary to announce to everyone around him that he couldn't see. In other words, his pride dismissed the thought.

"Auggie," Jamie said, "You sure you're alright, you look kind of sick?"

"Jamie," Auggie sighed, turning to his brother and regretting the movement immediately, "I've already said that I'm fine, okay?"

"Sure."

He'd been snapping at Jamie a lot lately and he wasn't sure why.

The crowd pushed forward and Annie slipped out of his arms, instead taking his hand and tugging him closer. All he wanted was to get inside and find a table, he didn't give a damn how close to stage they were. Someone knocked his arm and he was forced to drop Annie's hand. The cane was probably a good idea, people would be less likely to push him around if they knew he was blind. When Annie didn't grab his hand right away, he felt that familiar twinge of panic ignite in his stomach. He snuffed it out, there was no reason for that.

"Jesus," Annie huffed, making Auggie smirk, "New Yorkers are pushy!"

This time she linked elbows with him and laced her fingers through his as a precaution. Together, the mob of people moved down the sidewalk and around the bend. It was a strange feeling and for some reason it reminded Auggie of one of those kids stories where everyone was led unknowingly into the belly of a beast. What a happy analogy. There were stairs down and Auggie used Stu's shoulder for support; in big crowds like this, he didn't trust impatient bastards not to push and he wasn't a fan of stairs as it was.

Finally, they made it into a small, stuffy building and Auggie could hear the groupies onstage doing a sound check. At last he felt some excitement for this venture. The group found a rounded booth and Auggie slid in after Stu with Annie slipping up next to him. It was a relief to be off his feet and out of the cold. Damn did he sound old or what?

"Are you excited," Annie asked as she shed her coat, the smile evident in her voice.

"Yea," Auggie grinned, feeling in considerably better spirits, "I'm ready for the music part of this thing. Is there anywhere to get drinks around here?"

"Mmhmm," came Corrine's voice, "I've got that taken care of."

"God Corrine," Clare moaned, "You didn't spike anything did you?"

"Hah," Conrad laughed, "Clare's got you pegged already Corrine, you're getting predictable."

"Hush," Corrine retorted, sounding offended, "I'm never predictable and no, I didn't spike the drinks- or did I?"

"Well," Auggie smiled, taking the drink Annie pressed to his hand, "We'll find out soon."

With that he downed half his drink which tasted mostly like rum and somewhat like coke, somehow he was sure it should've been the other way around.

"Hear, hear!" Corrine called, followed by the sound of clinking glasses.

This was the life.

oOo

Annie noticed how the other couples had slithered off into the darker corners of the room and she couldn't help but feel slightly jealous. They were leaving for home once the concert was over and she and Auggie hadn't really had a chance to be together. She sat up from her lounging position on her boyfriend and stared at him for a few moments, he seemed sleepy but incredibly content, especially when compared to his earlier tension. There was no doubt that he was a little drunk, after the shots of tequila – which Annie had refused – and several coke and rum concoctions that Corrine had nearly poured down his throat. Still, she wanted him to kiss her – to be with her.

"You alright," he asked and she realized then that he was staring at her too, almost.

"I want you," she stated bluntly, surprised by her own words.

"I swear, if we weren't in public, I would take you up on that," he grinned devilishly.

But he didn't understand. She meant those three little words in such a way that was so much more than how they sounded. There was not one little part of him that she didn't want and these sudden feelings had her reeling. But that happened, didn't it? On those nights that you're up so late that you question everything and the very fabric of your skin seems surreal. Tonight it was Auggie that perplexed her. At that moment, it felt like they were meant to be together, that no matter what happened in the ever-dawning future they would be together even if real-life tried to subtly tug them apart.

It seemed like time was slipping away, every moment that passed was a moment lost and she would never have it back. Without another thought, she climbed over him so that each knee was on either side of his hips, their faces just inches away.

"I just want to be with you," she whispered, she was so closer now that she spoke against his lips.

It's funny how the meaning of a phrase can change in a matter of hours from something beautiful to something life changing.

His kissed her soft and sweet, his warm eyes closed; long fingers brushing back her hair. In a gentle way he splayed his hand on the small of her back just beneath her shirt. He went no further, sensing that this was different. They stayed like this for a long time, letting the smooth notes of brass and wind slide across their skin like silk.

"August," she breathed, liking the taste of his name on her tongue.

"Yes, Annie?"

"I just wanted to say your name," she smiled.

He smiled too, words unnecessary.

There was something about that night that they both understood. It could be said that innocence was lost and knowledge was gained, time passed that could never be retrieved but a memory was created that could never be forgotten. And the ignorance of the world around them remained.


	20. Loneliest Girl in the World

A/N: Here it is!  
On time!  
There are a lot of pivotal moments in this one, sort of a transition chapter but I like it!  
Thanks for the suggestion that you will find in the first part (I'm sorry I don't remember your name)!  
You'll see what I'm talking about!

I still need suggestions guys, for Christmas presents!  
It's important!  
And I'm lost...

We're about to reach 200 reviews!  
AH!  
You guys are amazing.  
I'm going to start a series of oneshots when we reach that beautiful number!  
Filled with your suggestions and fetishes - along with some of mine! ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Covert Affairs. Do they really keep track of these things?

"_You are the loneliest girl in the world, _  
_Taking your hits as they come. _  
_You are the loneliest girl in the world,_  
_And tonight you'd fall for anyone._

_It's the way you fall down into bed,_  
_And it's the way you cry when he's not looking._

_You are the loneliest girl in the world,_  
_I'll watch you die a thousand times again. _  
_You are the loneliest girl in the world,_  
_And I just want to make it go away._

_And I just want to make it go away_."

-The Cary Brothers, _Loneliest Girl in the World _

* * *

**_Loneliest Girl in the World_**

The atmosphere of the SUV was completely different when Stu was behind the wheel; there were no bumps or jerks, no sudden stops or accelerations. Smooth music slipped through the speakers, putting all but Annie and Stu to sleep. Earlier that day, Stu had offered his services as the designated driver. Apparently he'd never been much of a drinker. Annie wasn't sure why she was still awake, she could certainly feel the warmth of rum humming though her veins, weighing her down to the point of bliss. Still, she'd volunteered to stay up with Stu and help him with the GPS.

For a brief moment, Annie glanced back at Auggie who was caught in a deep sleep in the seat just behind Stu. His head was back, eyes closed, arms crossed and mouth relaxed. Once again he had fallen into that peaceful place that he couldn't seem to find in the waking hours.

She turned her attention back to Stu, suppressing a giggle as he mouthed the words to the song on the radio. Adele, if she wasn't mistaken.

"Stu," she heard herself say, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he smiled, looking content.

Of all Auggie's friends – no, her friends – Stu was certainly her favorite. There was just something soothing about him. He was so gentle.

"What was he like," she inquired softly, "Before he lost his sight? Is he very different?"

"Oh," Stu said, sounding slightly surprised. Then again, everyone in town knew Auggie when he could still see so she imagined Stu had never been asked that particular question before. "Well, there's a- It's kind of a difficult question."

"How so?"

"It sort of depends on the day, I guess," Stu began thoughtfully, "Lately he's been a lot like his old self. Somehow I think that has a lot to do with you."

Stu grinned at her and Annie couldn't help but smile back. There they were; those changes that come with the closeness of the other. Just as Clare changed Jamie, Annie had changed Auggie.

"Honestly, he was pretty damn pretentious – not that he isn't still-" Stu chuckled, "-especially in math class. He was always pissing our calculus teacher off. He was also incredibly hyperactive when he could see. I mean, he was always moving: he went running all the time, he won state championships in wrestling, anything he saw he tried. Now it's definitely different. He's always so cautious and like timid, I guess."

Stu glanced back in the rearview mirror to see if anyone was listening, but the lolling atmosphere hadn't been broken by their conversation.

There was this sudden understanding that overcame Annie; that tension he carried around with him now so clear. He was stuck inside his own body, always on the verge of breaking free but never quite making it. Maybe it was the rum but her emotions were running wild. As she stared at his sleeping form she knew that he would hate her at that moment but she couldn't help but feel sad for him; mourn his loss.

"He's so much more stiff than he used to be, certainly and his temper is a lot shorter," Stu seemed wistful, like talking all these things out made him miss his old friend, a friend that would never come back. "He doesn't like to deal with things, it's like, he projects everything onto Corrine and ignores everything that he's feeling and it- I'm sorry, this isn't what you asked for."

"No," Annie said softly. "It's alright, keep talking."

Until then, it hadn't hit Annie how much Auggie's trauma had thrown shockwaves that affected everyone around him. So he was a different person; his old self missed by many. Would she have felt the same way about him had she met him before? Would she have stuck with him after his sight had diminished? She thought so but how could she be certain? It seemed that a simple question had pulled up a lot more.

"I don't know," Stu sighed, "I love him, no matter how he's changed, I just wish that he'd be more honest with himself than he is."

"Sounds like you care about him a lot," she smiled.

"I do," Stu gave he a meaningful look, "He's like a brother to me and believe it or not, he takes care of me just as much as I take care of him. Don't know what I'd do without him, really."

There it was, the reason she liked him so much. There was that sense of caring with him that never seemed to die. Whether he liked to admit it or not, he was a softy. And much as it scared her to admit it there was no denying; it was such a Ben thing.

oOo

They dropped her off first as her house was closest. Though she was tired out of her mind, she didn't want to go home, to be separated from everyone that she cared about, that cared about her. As usual there was no car in the driveway, no life to be spoken of. Mother had been there just that week, distant as usual, but there all the same. Corrine stepped inside the house with resentment, angry that she wasn't worth hanging around for.

Without turning on the lights, she went to the kitchen. Beer was on her mind, a nice cold one before falling into bed, but she found something different instead. There was a note on the counter and Corrine rolled her eyes. Mother just loved leaving notes to explain why she was never home, never mind the decency of a phone call, that would make too much of a connection and who wants that?

To this day she isn't sure why but instead of the usual – balling up the note and tossing it into the trash without a thought – Corrine picked it up. Just the first line made her stomach ache. It constricted with the weight of the written word. Had it really come to this?

As she placed the note back on the counter she took in a deep, cleansing breath, ignoring the tears that were pooling mercilessly in her eyes. No pain. This had been a long time coming. She'd been expecting it. With lifeless steps she went to the fridge and pulled out the much desired beer then turned to go to her room. A numbness had fallen over her. She knew what she was going to have to do and it scared her to death. She'd thought about it plenty of times, planned so much of it and even imagined what it would be like but actually doing it was just so much to consider.

A smile broke her sadness. Why did it have to be sad? It would be a new adventure, territory unexplored. She couldn't hold on to these pains that kept her here, no matter how much she would miss everyone or how much they would miss her. They'd let go of Chris; they would let go of her too.

She trotted up the stairs and found her journal and with a click of her pen she began to write.

There was just so much to do first.

oOo

"Alright Augs," Jamie said, nudging his brother awake, "This is our stop."

Auggie took in a deep breath and struggled to regain consciousness and hold it long enough to get to the house. Damn, he wished hadn't had so much rum. Regretfully, he unfolded himself from his girlfriend, who seemed to be waking just as slowly as he was. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head and reveled in the little sounds that she made.

"I'll call you tonight, maybe tomorrow we can get together?"

"Mm sounds good," she mumbled.

After climbing out of Conrad's SUV and waving uncoordinated goodbyes to the rest of the group, Auggie took Jamie's arm and followed him up to the house. For the first time in a while, he had no idea what time it was. There was nothing to give him a clue and his sleeping schedule was so screwed it could have been twelve noon for all he knew. All he could do was hope that it was late enough that his parents would already be in bed.

He dropped Jamie's arm once they were in the entryway and kicked off his Chucks. Honestly he didn't care where they ended up or if he would trip over them in two minutes, all he cared about was making it to bed before anyone tried to engage him in a conversation.

"Hey boys," his father's voice said from somewhere, Auggie didn't care enough to figure it out. "How was the concert?"

"Great," Jamie answered, for which Auggie was grateful, "I think everyone had a good time and – believe it or not – there weren't any fights. I'd like to think that this signals success. Also, Corrine didn't kill us when it was her turn to drive."

Auggie scoffed; wasn't that true.

"That's good to hear," Mica said boisterously.

That's one thing that Auggie hated about his father, the man was loud and enthusiastic. All. The. Time.

"Would you boys like some dinner, your mother and I thought we'd go out?"

"What time is it," Auggie mumbled, finding it difficult to string words together.

"It's around six in the evening," Mica answered, "The perfect time for dinner."

"Actually, I'm thinking that bed sounds like the best option right now," Auggie stated.

He took a few steps away from where he was and – as predicted – was tripped up by the shoes he'd tossed from his feet. It didn't bother him; he just kept heading for the stairs, he knew someone would move them so that the house would again be following blind kid safety protocol. Vaguely he could hear voices coming from the living room – nine-year-old Benji included – and Auggie wanted to make it to his room before anyone else spotted him.

"Dinner sounds good to me," Jamie's voice said, his voice fading into another room.

Everything sounded like it was floating, like he was out of his own body and hovering above everything else. Auggie added rum to his list of things never to drink again.

"August," Mica's voice was close, his heavy hand then landing on Auggie's shoulder just as he stepped onto the first stair. "Are you alright, you seem out of it."

"Yea," he muttered, running his fingers through his hair, nervous that his father could smell the rum on him. Sure it had been a few hours, but that stuff had a way of sticking around. "The trip just wore me out, I'm good."

"Alright," Mica said, though suspicion hung in the spaces between his words. "Listen, Lucas and his family will be getting here in the morning, I just wanted to warn you. So be extra aware."

The warning was welcome. The previous Thanksgiving had been a disaster on several levels. The first had been that Auggie was still in denial about feeling anything but normal, after all, why should he be upset about losing the sense that perceived eighty percent of the world? Next was that everyone else was extremely aware of the fact that he should have been feeling something that he 'wasn't' feeling and tried their best but failed to act normal. And last but far from least was the simple fact that no matter how hard they tried, they never failed to keep him from humiliating himself. Not to mention that was also the first time that his cane practically snapped in half and he threw a tantrum.

Ah, the memories.

"Another reason I should go to bed now."

It felt like he had just dropped into bed when he was woken my Matt. He was exhausted to the point of tears. All he wanted was to sleep for the rest of the holiday.

"Augs, Lucas is here and mom wants you downstairs," he said in that annoying 'I'm waking you up by speaking in an obnoxiously soft voice' voice.

"Ugh," he grumbled, feeling especially foggy headed.

Without further resistance he rolled out of bed and went to his closet, knowing resistance was futile. He could hear bed springs behind him as Matt sat on his bed.

"So, Jasper and I are thinking of going to the carnival this week," Matt said, "I was thinking we could get the group to go, you know? Maybe even the family. We can get some cotton candy, maybe some funnel cake, take a ride on the Ferris wheel if you know what I mean?"

The implications were clear and Auggie could just barely pull up Matt's face in his memory, waggling one eyebrow. It pissed him off how difficult it was to remember what his brother looked like and he started realizing how little he even tried to picture things anymore. He was told this would happen but he didn't think it'd be soon.

"Yea sure," he answered automatically.

Matt stopped him as he made to leave his room, this close all Auggie could smell was his cologne and a dull ache started pounding in his forehead.

"Hey, are you okay," Matt asked softly, one hand on each of Auggie's shoulders. "You seem kind of weird today."

"I'm fine, Matt," Auggie shrugged.

It was disheartening; he could barely see Matt's face in his head.

Deal with one thing and another one falls on your shoulders. This was another reason he didn't want to deal in the first place but here he was, finally taking everything in.

"I'm just tired, you know," he gave a small smile but Matt didn't release him just yet.

"Auggie, if you ever want to talk about things, don't forget about me," Matt said, his voice sincere.

Auggie's chest constricted, if only Matt understood how much had already been forgotten.

"Yea," Auggie grinned, "I'll be sure to remember that."

"That's what I'm here for," Matt said, pulling Auggie into a tight hug.

"Alright, alright," Auggie chuckled as he managed to get around his brother, "Now that you've gotten your _sap_ all over me, let's get downstairs before mom sends up the cavalry."

"I've always liked a man on a horse," Matt laughed.

"Oh. My. God."

oOo

Annie woke up refreshed and stretched her thin limps to their breaking point, satisfied as her vertebrae popped back into place. She'd had the most wonderful dreams and after opening her eyes she laid in bed for a while thinking about them. Auggie had been there and all she could say was that shirt and shoes were most certainly _not_ required.

It was just after eight in the morning and Annie quietly padded her way to the hall bathroom but stopped dead cold. The light was already on and she could hear someone inside. It didn't sound good. Quietly she pressed her ear to the door. It must have been Danielle or Michael because her parents would use their own bathroom. Whoever it was, they were praying to the porcelain gods.

"Hello," Annie tapped softly on the door as she pushed it open, "Are you okay in there?"

Danielle was sitting on the bathroom floor holding back her hair with a box of tissues beside her, looking utterly miserable. When she saw Annie, she blushed a deep red and covered at her mouth with a fresh Kleenex.

"Annie," she exclaimed, "What are you doing, don't you knock?"

"Sorry," she muttered, stepping inside, "Are you alright? Are you sick?"

"No, no," Danielle said with persistence, "I'm fine, I just ate something that didn't agree with me."

Annie stared at her sister for a long time. She didn't believe it. With a sigh she softened and pulled a hair-tie and hairbrush from her drawer and stood behind Danielle. Annie didn't say anything as she brushed her sister's hair out of her face and up into a messy but effective bun. There was only one other time that this happened and that was Danielle's prom night. She'd come home plastered and found herself vomiting like a champ in Annie's bathroom as her younger sister took care of her. But this time was different and Annie could tell that something was wrong.

"Are you going to tell me what's really going on with you," she asked as she sat down on the tiled floor. "Or do I have to pry it out of you?"

"Listen Annie," Danielle said seriously, "There's nothing wrong with me okay, I'm just a little bit sick."

"Are you pregnant," Annie blurted out, receiving a stunned look from her sister, "Oh god, Danielle, you are pregnant!"

Without warning, Danielle burst into tears. Annie wrapped her arms around her and pulled her in close. She'd been suspecting this, but hadn't wanted to say anything until she was sure. This proved it. Danielle's sobs shook the both of them, her tears wetting the shoulder of Annie's night shirt.

"I don't know how this happened," she cried, "We were being so careful and- and I don't know!"

"Is this why you and Michael are getting married," Annie asked softly.

"Yes," she moaned, "I knew that daddy would be angry and I thought if we got married I could somehow makes things better-"

She pulled away from Annie and looked at her desperately, her blue eyes bright with unshed tears.

"What am I going to do," she pled, "I'm not finished with school yet, I haven't even lived my dream! How am I supposed to take care of a baby? Michael doesn't even have a job yet, he's still an intern!"

"It'll all work out, Dani," Annie soothed, brushing back a strand of Danielle's hair. "Are you going to keep it?"

"Of course," Danielle exclaimed then whispered, "I love it."

She placed a hand on her stomach and a tiny smile snuck its way onto her lips.

"Are you excited," Annie all but whispered.

For a moment Danielle just stared at her, her blue eyes huge and mouth set in surprise. Annie stared back, trying to keep the smile from working its way onto her lips. Finally Dani's smile broke out and it was like a sunburst.

"Yes," she laughed, seeming to surprise herself, "I am, I'm already in love with her!"

"Her?"

"I think so!"

"What do you want to name her," Annie asked, looking at her sister in a new way. She was a new creature now, a creator.

"Katia," she smiled, "I want to name her Katia."


	21. This House is a Circus

_A/N_: So here it is... Wow that took awhile. And so I apologize and without further ado...

_"There's a room full of trouble and their's lovers to be had,_  
_Those one's who make sinners out of such lovely lads. _  
_Scaling the corridors for maidens in the maze,_  
_And the anomaly is slipping into familiar ways_."

-Arctic Monkeys

* * *

**This House is a Circus**

In Auggie's mind, it wasn't the ideal day for a picnic. The air was somewhat biting and he could barely feel his fingertips, which made things difficult when he was trying to read. But hell, it was nice to be outside, listening to his niece and nephews on the playground – not that he could distinguish them from the other kids but it's the thought that counts – and spending some alone time with his mom while the others played ruff somewhere in the distance. His fingers left the page of his book and he shook out his hands in a vain attempt to get the blood circulating and the feeling back. It didn't help but perhaps that was a sign to talk to his mom – something that should definitely happen more often.

"We really ought to get you some gloves or something," she said from across the picnic bench. "Actually, I thought you already had some. Are they too small?"

"I'm blind when I wear gloves, mom," Auggie sighed, stretching his arms over his head. He grinned as he realized what he said. Shocking his mother was something he'd mastered long ago; his blindness was just a beautifully crafted tool that added to his workmanship.

"August," she tutted but he could hear the smile in her voice and it surprised him, normally she hated blind jokes, no matter how accidental, "I'll figure something out for you, I can't just let my son walk around with cold hands."

"Hey, it worked when I was going to be a doctor- neurosurgeon to be exact," Auggie couldn't stop the next knock on his disability, it just sort of fell out of his mouth, "However, I couldn't find an insurance company that would cover me, so I let that one go."

"Aren't you cute," his mother said with epic sarcasm before throwing a balled up napkin at her son.

"Whoa," Auggie exclaimed as he explored the item that hit his forehead, a grin broke out as he identified the paper towel, "Did you just _throw_ this at me?"

"Maybe," she giggled.

"I can't believe you just threw something at your blind child," Auggie chided, shaking his head, "You are a terrible mother."

"Watch your mouth boy," his father's voice suddenly hovered above Auggie's head as a heavy hand slapped his back, "You cross that woman and she will smack that grin off your face."

"Oh hush, Micah," Julia giggled.

The bench creaked as Micah sat down and Auggie could feel the bench tilt to compensate the man's weight. Auggie rubbed his hands together and tried to go back to his reading. If there was one thing that could be said for reading with his fingers, it was that he didn't get nearly as distracted as he had when he could see. For one thing he had to concentrate more – the path from his fingers to his brain was a lot further and less familiar than the path from his eyes, though that one was being overgrown. He'd read somewhere that the part of the brain that interprets images change in a blind person, making new use of old broken parts.

"I can't believe you can read that fast," Andrew said as he too returned from playing ball or whatever the hell they were doing. "Your fingers are moving a mile a minute, I'm impressed."

In minutes the table was all but shaking as it tried to support the weight of at least four more healthy Andersons. The heat that radiated from his brothers was unbelievable but it felt good in this chill weather. A swell of bitterness fill Auggie's chest before washing away. It hurt to feel left out, strangely alienated from his brothers and father as they played games and ran freely without the worry of unseen obstacles, but Auggie accepted that it was a part of his life now. Still, no matter how used to it he got, it would still sting.

"It's called practice, Andy," Auggie rolled his eyes, his parents had finally stopped commenting or staring when he read in front of them but his brothers weren't so used it. "Despite the fact that you haven't been around, the world still turns and I've been evolving from invalid to literate."

"August," his father warned. "That was unnecessary."

The fact that Andrew and even the others avoided the house like the plague hadn't escaped Auggie, nor did the fact that it was his fault. They just weren't comfortable enough with blind August Anderson to stick around for too long. It was no wonder he felt so separated from his old self.

"Just saying," Auggie mumbled and closed his book, too uncomfortable to read anymore.

"Uncle Auggie, Uncle Auggie," Oliver, Lucas's eldest, exclaimed in his tiny voice, a welcome distraction from the building tension, "I have to tell you something!"

Auggie swung his legs over the side of the bench – narrowly missing Ethan – so that Oli could better talk to him. There was something about this tiny person that put Auggie in a good mood and at that moment he could sure as hell use a pick-me-up.

"What's up, Oli," Auggie asked as the tiny person stopped in front of him, placing his tiny hands on his uncle's knees. "You sound upset."

"This boy from the playground who had hair like a fire engine, called me a little kid," the disbelief in Oli's little voice made it difficult for Auggie not to laugh.

"No way," Auggie said, giving Oli his best shocked voice as he began exploring Oli, who started giggling. He stopped with his hand on top of Oli's head, "You're too tall to be called a little kid, half pint, maybe. How old are you now anyways, you've got to be at least ten?"

"No, Uncle Auggie," Oli laughed, "I'm this many!"

Auggie laughed, Oliver knew that his uncle was blind he just didn't understand that Auggie couldn't see the itty bitty fingers he was surely holding up.

"Oli, Uncle Auggie needs-" Lucas began but Auggie shook his head.

"It's okay, Luke," Auggie assured him, as he searched for Oli's arm. "I got it."

With exaggerated movements, Auggie ran his hands down Benji's arms until he found the little hand that held up the fingers in question. Oli's miniature frame shook with laughter throughout the investigation and Auggie couldn't keep the smile from his face.

"There they are," Auggie exclaimed with dramatic flare, "Let's see, how many do we have here? One- two- three- oh god, you're four now? That's crazy!"

"You're silly, Uncle Auggie," Oli laughed again.

"That's my middle name," Auggie grinned, his mood lifted completely.

"Oli," Benji's voice called at a distance, "Come play hide and seek with me!"

"I'm coming," Oliver yelled back before turning back to his favorite uncle – as he told everyone at school before telling his classmates about the way his favorite uncle could see with his magical hands, "Uncle Auggie, will you come play hide and seek with us?"

"Maybe later, okay," Auggie bartered, he hadn't eaten enough yet to be dragged around by a four-year-old and his eight-year-old hyperactive cousin.

As Oliver's little feet faded into the chaos of the playground, Auggie turned back around on the bench just in time to catch an all too familiar and highly uncomfortable sound.

"That was beautiful," his mother said, her voice clearly filled with bottled up emotion, "My son and my grandson- it just-"

"Here we go again," Ethan chuckled.

"Mom, seriously," Auggie groaned. Every time he made some achievement or did something that he wrote off as nothing, his mother would start choking up, "Please don't start crying, I beg you. That was nothing."

"Nothing," she stammered, "How was that nothing? The way you dealt with that was wonderful and the way he looks up to you is so sweet! Lucas says he talks about you at school all the time, you know."

"Yea, Augs, that was a truly beautiful moment," Andrew simpered with practiced drama. "I could just cry."

"Shut up, Andrew," Auggie groaned, successfully hitting his brother's shoulder.

"Ouch," he laughed, "Hey are you going to let him treat me that way?"

"Absolutely," Mica laughed.

"Boys, stop it," she sighed, "You just don't understand."

"Mothers," Jamie said, "Can't live with them, don't have clean laundry without them."

"Jameson!" Julia exclaimed as the rest of the guys laughed.

"Uh oh," Andrew said suddenly, "Looks like they're heading back this way, Augs, Oli brought back-up."

"Looks like they're not going to give me another choice," Auggie sighed, standing from the bench.

"Don't worry," Mica said, touching his son's elbow, "We'll all play. You and I can be a team."

"Now that sounds like a plan," Auggie smiled in relief, imagining all the surface wounds his father helped him avoid.

"Alright, old people," Benji exclaimed, the smile clear in his voice, "Are you ready to get beat in hide and seek?"

"Bring it," Jamie replied, earning shouts of agreement from the rest of the Anderson men.

Auggie grinned. Yes, it was going to be a good year.

oOo

The Nook between her fingers had her on the edge of her seat, eyes pouring over the screen that had her body reacting as though it were happening in the kitchen. Her heart pounded, head tilted, breath caught and that place low between her hips tightened in a wonderfully uncomfortable way. All she could think about was having him inside of her, pressing his fingertips to the hot flesh of her lower back as he pushed himself further into her-

"Annie darling, could you get me the yams from the cabinet," Annie's aunt Marsha asked from the island, the woman had popped in the night before with a young man on her arm and was still up by six in the morning, a feat that Annie found to be both insane and exhilarating; a dream burning in the back of Annie's heart.

For a moment Annie processed what Marsha said, trying to get the blood flowing in the right direction again. And then she realized she had no idea where the yams were anyways.

"Um, which cabinet," Annie asked as she stood jerkily from her stool, biting her lip as she tried to remember where the canned goods were kept, in her defense her mind wasn't on yams.

"Never mind dear, I'll get it," Marsha said with a wink.

Annie had to admit that Marsha was her favorite Aunt; she was an uninhibited woman who travelled the world and saw things that most people only ever see in their dreams. Her latest adventure had been in New Zealand and she'd brought Annie back a small leather book – as well as the aforementioned man -and told her that it was time she started planning her own journey.

"So, what're you reading," Marsha asked with a knowing smirk.

"Oh, just- you know – something for school," Annie said unconvincingly as a pink blush betrayed her, "High school, you never really get a break."

"Mm-hmm, and this book," she said slowly, "Seemed pretty intense, is it good?"

"Oh, uh- yea, I have to admit that it gets a reaction," Annie chuckled nervously.

In all honestly she had never picked up a dirty novel before but it had been free and she had been curious and god once she started reading-

"You'll have to let me borrow it sometime, you know, once you've finished," her huge amber eyes were coy and Annie nodded meekly.

At least her mother hadn't heard the conversation.

Annie went to the fridge to get a Coke and was back-ended by her mother in the process.

"Annie, sweetheart, why don't you go into the living room and read," she asked quietly, "We could use a little extra room, alright? Maybe give your friends a call or something?"

"Yea, sure mom," she frowned.

It wasn't that she was a hopeless cook, it was just that she didn't particularly like cooking; the process was too long and completely lacked excitement. That's what pizza is for after all. With but a glance into the living room, Annie decided that she would rather take her reading upstairs where her father wouldn't be expressing his frustration to the television set. Not to mention though certainly a factor, reading novels that make you want to have sex while your father is in the room… Not exactly the brightest idea.

Up in her room, Annie flopped onto her bed. _Call your friends_, her mother had said and although that was tempting she didn't think it was right to pull her friends away from their families on Thanksgiving Day, no matter how badly she wanted to. Still she found herself finding Auggie's name in her phone, her thumb floating over his number. It wouldn't hurt to call, would it?

"Hello," Auggie's voice came from the speaker, bringing a smile to Annie's lips.

"Hey Auggie," she said, sounding girlish even to her own ears.

"Annie," Auggie exclaimed, sounding breathless, "What's up?"

"Oh, you know, I just wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving," she lied, though she had to admit that it was a hell of an excuse.

"That's right," he chuckled, "Happy Thanksgiving to you too! How's everything going over there?"

"Oh it's great," she sighed, noticing the background noise on the phone. It was almost like he was at a- playground? "What are you up to?"

"Well, the girl's kicked all us guys out of the kitchen, so I'm playing a particularly vicious game of hide and seek," he said conspiratorially.

"Oh goodness," she replied, matching his hushed tones, "Sounds like I'd better let you get back to it then, I wouldn't want you to be caught because of me."

"Ah, a death worth dying."

"Oh hush," she giggled, feeling somewhat deflated. Honestly she'd been hoping that he was having as crappy a Thanksgiving as she was and that they would decide to spend the time before dinner as boyfriend and girlfriend – clothing completely optional. But then again, what kind of girlfriend wishes a shitty Thanksgiving on her boyfriend? "You get back to your fun and have a great Thanksgiving."

"Alright," he gave in- "Whoa-" he exclaimed suddenly- "Dude, a little warning next time!"

"Bye Auggie," Annie shook her head.

"Oh Annie!"

"Yes," she answered hopefully.

"Maybe we can get together tomorrow, yea? Maybe get some after-Thanksgiving dessert?"

"That sounds amazing," she smiled, feeling a bit better about her current predicament.

"They're coming this way, quick we gotta hide," Matt's garbled voice came from the other end.

"Sounds like a date," Auggie whispered before the line went dead.

"The man is incapable of saying goodbye," Annie sighed as she tossed her phone somewhere on the bed. Alone again.

Without further ado, Annie made her way to her closet; at least she could pick out something to wear for their date. A soft blue cashmere sweater, dark jeans, and a pair of velvet heels later and Annie found herself bored once again. There was always the option of opening her book again and losing herself in desire, but desire was no fun when one's boyfriend was preoccupied. This boredom lasted for only a few moments though as something outside of her window caught her attention.

Some strange guy was walking down her street, a stranger with too-familiar thick, brown hair and a confident gait. Her heart started pounding more quickly, her breath catching on something in her throat. Could it really be him? After practically throwing her window open she leaned out to get a better look, not at all believing what she was seeing. There was no way that it was him, not after- but as the figure turned into her driveway there was no trace of doubt left in her blown mind.

After a moment's hesitation, Annie threw open her door and flew down the steps. All she could hear was her heart pounding in her head. The doorbell rang and time seemed to slow down, her heart beating all the way through her fingertips.

"I'll get it," she faintly heard her father say from the living room followed by the sound of a creaky chair as he made his way closer.

"No, I'll get it," she heard herself call, then almost in a whisper, "It's for me."

As the door opened she braced herself for whatever awaited her on the other side though she knew that nothing ever could. His smile all but knocked her off her feet, those eyes as blue as they could possibly be and even with this distance between them she could feel the electricity that had tied the two together from the moment they met.

"Hello, Annie," he said in that impossibly soft manner of his.

She was right, there was nothing that could have prepared her for the sound of his voice and suddenly her knees felt very weak as one word slipped from between her lips.

"Ben."

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Alright so I got bored and I did it.  
So tell me readers, how do you think things will go when Auggie and Ben meet for the first time?  
What will Annie do?

Thanks for sticking around and I will see you again soon!

MM


	22. Corner of Your Heart

_**A/N: **_So this is the next chapter.  
This week end I will write another and it's definitely going to jump forward.  
These are going to be the last few chapters, we'll certainly be done by thirty.  
I'm quite curious as to how it will end as I don't have the details left.  
All I know is that it will be bittersweet.  
Sigh.

So I love you guys and I hope this chapter pleases you!

Disclaimer: I don't own Covert Affairs (will I be sued if I don't say this?)

_'There's a corner of your heart for me,_  
_There's a corner of your heart just for me._  
_I would pack my bags just to stay in the corner of your heart._  
_Just to stay in the corner of your heart.'_

-Ingrid Michaelson, Corner of Your Heart

* * *

_**Corner of Your Heart**_

His name hung in the air. It felt wrong on her lips and she wished more than anything that she could take it back. Unfortunately, in life, there are no take-backs. For several moments Annie's brain gathered the pieces of her scattered thoughts: she was in love with Ben, Ben broke her heart, Annie left California, moved to Illinois where she met Auggie, Auggie, the one. The only one.

"What do you want," she asked firmly, crossing her arms over her chest and blocking the door.

The look in those blue eyes could only be described as surprise; sure, some part of her would always be waiting for him but he'd left a swooning school girl and sought out a woman.

"Annie, I understand what you think but-"

"No, Ben," she cut him off, taking a step towards him, "You don't understand. You can't possibly understand what you did to me and- you know what? It doesn't matter anymore. You need to go."

"Wait, Annie," he began in that special way that he spoke, looking down at her in that special way that he smoldered, breaking down her defenses, "I realize that I hurt you and it kills me to know that I did and that's why I'm here. To explain."

"I don't need you to explain, Ben," she replied, sounding unsure of her own words like the doe-eyed seventeen year old girl that she was. She wished Auggie were there, someone that could help her get a grip on reality and just like that a voice rang through the chill air.

"What the HELL is he doing here," her father said, bolting through the front door.

John Walker was on Ben before Annie could even react, his face just inches from Annie's ex. It was like there was electricity in the air and at any moment her father was going to ignite and break something. Annie could only hope that it wouldn't be bone.

"Dad, stop," Annie yelled, pushing at her father's taught side, she hadn't seen him like this since he'd found a boy in Danni's bed. That had ended badly. "Please, please stop let me handle this!"

He turned to her then, his blue eyes gauging her. It was strange to see him like that, cold and calculating, never before had that look been turned on her. Soon it softened and he stepped back a pace, his eyes still locked on his daughter. With a gentleness that he'd momentarily forgotten, he touched her shoulder.

"I'll be just inside, if you need anything-"

"I know, dad," she answered confidently, "I'll be fine."

"Alright," he turned back to Ben then, that hardened look returning to his face.

There was no more verbal communication between her father and her unwelcome ex but there was no doubt in the feeling that was passed between the two: one misstep and Mr. Walker would be exercising his Ranger skills.

"So what do you want, Ben," Annie inquired as soon as her father disappeared inside the house. He was staring at her again, with those eyes that once melted her self-control, but now that look only seemed to piss her off. It was a tool of his, one that he used to weaken defenses and get his way, the worst form of manipulation.

"I don't want anything from you, Annie," he sighed, relinquishing his gaze as soon as he realized it wasn't working. "I just want you to let me explain what's going on with me."

"Why," she scoffed, throwing her hands up, "Why in the world did you suddenly decide to pop back in my life when everything's finally going great and on Thanksgiving, nonetheless-"

"It's Thanksgiving," he interrupted, looking sincerely confused, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize- I haven't been stateside for a while."

Stateside. What did he mean by that? With cautious eyes she looked him over and sure enough he looked different and surprisingly un-Ben-like; his hair was shorter, posture taller, demeanor firmer. A slight grin tugged at her lips, she just couldn't believe that he – Ben Mercer of all people – would do something so extreme and not in the way one might think.

"I'll tell you what," she said, shaking her head, "Let me go inside and get my coat and we'll take a walk. You can tell me all about what you've been doing and then you leave… permanently."

He gave her a small nod and she slipped inside. So it had happened. As perfect as Ben had seemed with his huge blue eyes and a smile that went on forever, he had given in. For all the time they had been together, Ben told Annie of travel, of being a free spirit and letting the wind take him where it will. Perhaps that was what attracted her to him the most; they'd been kindred spirits in that sense, in their wanderlust. They'd had plans, foolish adolescent plans, to run away together and see the world, far from the clutches of responsibility.

She chuckled a bit before leaving the house, letting the reality sink in: Ben was in the military.

oOo

Auggie was perfectly content with his spot on the couch, a warm cup of cocoa in his hands as they thawed through the last of his frostbite. Despite his previous concerns about the park and the weather, it had turned out to be a near perfect day. Well, that's aside from the possible concussion that he'd attained earlier after his nine-year-old hyperactive nephew walked him into a flagpole but hey shit happens. Of course, this was all before a certain name was mentioned and once that name was mentioned, everything came crashing down.

"Hey Auggie," his mother said from the entryway of the den, "Are you awake?"

They'd been asking him this every hour since they got home, just to make sure he didn't fall asleep with a concussion. At first he'd found it amusing but even after he'd recited the alphabet backwards – something he'd perfected after the first time there'd been a cop scare at a party – they hadn't relented and his patience was dwindling.

"Yes, mom, I'm awake," he grinned, unable to get truly annoyed after such a – well – normal day.

"Don't worry, Meme," Benji said from his spot in front of the television – he'd been playing Skylanders for the past two hours, "I've been keeping my eye on him."

"That's wonderful, Benji," she laughed, "Actually, I came down here to ask if you'd heard from the Morgan's? They usually call late but I've not heard from either of them at all this year."

Auggie scrunched his eyebrows – though he immediately decided not to as it tugged on the recently formed scab on his forehead- he hadn't heard from Corrine since they got home from the concert almost a week before. Not even a text.

"Actually I haven't. I know Mrs. Morgan's been gone a lot but I can call Corrine," there it was, that name again and once it was spoken it spread quickly like a virus.

Almost as though on cue, Auggie's phone rang. He winced against the headache that exploded at the sudden noise and answered it quickly.

"Hey Augs," Conrad's voice said before Auggie could even manage a hello. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Yea, Happy Thanksgiving," Auggie replied, confused the noise going on in the background, it sounded like a frat party – then again it was a Sheehan party, no one celebrates like the Irish. "What's up, man?"

"I was hoping I could talk to Cory? I figured she'd be there and she's not answering her phone so-"

"You know what, I think she's helping mom in the kitchen, can I get her to call you back in a few minutes," he lied quickly. He could feel his mother staring at him but he honestly didn't have time to explain.

"Oh, uh, yea sure," Conrad said after a moment's pause, Auggie couldn't help but notice how relieved the other boy sounded. "Thanks Auggie, I guess I kind of freaked out but you know her. Anyways, I'll talk to you later."

After the phone call ended, Auggie could feel his mother staring at him, no doubt awaiting an explanation and a 'what are you going to do next.'

"So, Conrad can't get ahold of Corrine, so while you're finishing up dinner I'm going to pop over there and see if everything's alright," he said causally, as though he hadn't just suggested something his mother would certainly not agree with, "I know she and her mom have been having problems so-"

"You're taking someone with you," she said, it certainly wasn't a question but Auggie had been expecting this, "There is no way that you're walking to her house alone with a possible concussion."

"Mom," he began reasonably as he stood from his seat, it was true that he still a bit wobbly but that was something he didn't need to tell his mother, "I'm perfectly capable of walking to Corrine's alone, I've actually been doing it-"

"For a few months now, believe me I know," she interrupted, earning a surprised look from her son, "Honestly, August, you're not as stealthy as you might think."

"Ooh, busted," Benji commented, earning a much deserved look from his uncle.

"Listen, why don't you just ask your father or one of your brothers to drop you off there and pick you up when you call," she suggested.

It seemed a reasonable request, though Auggie was still put out about his midnight escapades not being so secret, besides, if she knew about those, what else did she know about? Surely she didn't know how often her son got drunk, especially right after he lost his sight, even he would admit he went a little overboard for a while but that didn't mean he wanted his family to know.

"Yea," he caved as the floor seemed to shake a bit beneath his feet, maybe he had more of a concussion than he originally thought, "I'll get Matt to take me."

"Son," his mother said softly, catching his hand before he made it to the three steps leading to the kitchen, "I hope you realize that I'm not doing this because I think you incapable-"

"Mom-"

"No, let me finish," she interrupted assertively, "In these past couple of months I have realized how much you are able to do, how much you've adapted but sighted or not, I'm not going to let you walk to her house alone concussed."

It was quiet for a moment, Auggie not really sure what to say. This was the first time that his mother admitted that he was capable of – well – anything since he'd gone blind.

"I love you, August," she smiled, placing a soft kiss on his cheek before passing him on the steps.

"Well, that was gross," Benji groaned.

.oOo.

"I don't think she's here, Augs," Matt said as the pulled up to Corrine's house, "Her car's not in the driveway."

"That's weird," his brow scrunched, concern rising up in his stomach. "Just let me get out, if the door's unlocked you can leave."

"Sure," Matt said uncertainly.

As Auggie got out of the car and unfurled his cane, he could hear Matt talking to Jasper as the latter climbed into the front seat. They weren't leaving. He rolled his eyes and concentrated on the matter at hand. There were many reasons that her car might not be in the drive way though most of them just didn't seem very Corrine-like.

Just as he expected, the door swung open easily and without turning to the car he waved a goodbye to his brother and a few moments later the engine revved and faded. The house echoed in its emptiness and Auggie kept his cane in front of him as he maneuvered the eerie house – it was always the safest bet as Mrs. Morgan rearranged the furniture every other day. Auggie was sure that it was a personal gesture towards him – he wouldn't except she only started the habit after he went blind. Bitch.

His hand thumped against the kitchen bar and he ran his fingers across the countertop, encountering something unexpected. The countertops were always empty, in fact, the house itself was normally void of life signs so finding a piece of paper – of all things – on the counter surprised and terrified him. Suddenly it felt like the floor had dropped from beneath his feet as someone from above dumped a bucket of water over his head, the cool of it dripping into his bloodstream.

"Corrine," he called through the house.

He could barely hear his own voice, his heart pounding a heart-attack in his chest.

There was no answer.

The house felt suddenly empty, frightening. Most of his weight rested on the counter before him, his fingers running over and over the near perfect piece of paper in search of any sign of its purpose but it was useless; all he could feel were the pen marks left by an unknown creature that held the secrets his misery. It seemed that his head and lips and fingers and feet went numb. He should have known, there were signs but he had been blind to them, too caught up with a girl to notice.

With no grace he stood to his feet and without the help of his cane – he didn't know when or where he dropped it – made his way to the stairs. He needed to find her, to touch her, to know.

"Corrine," he meant to call her, but it came out a whisper.

As his hand touched the rail his thoughts were blown away like so much smoke.

"Auggie," Corrine's voice cut through the silence like the sun through storm clouds, "Are you alright?"

He could hear her collect his cane from the floor, her bare feet slapping against the tile and yet, his brain wouldn't accept it.

"August," she said softly, taking the paper from his fingers, her voice sounded broken, "What did you think this was?"

He hadn't realized he'd been crying until his arms were around her, his tears wetting her shoulder. At some point she started crying too and for the first time in what felt like years, Auggie's Corrine had finally come home.

Thirty minutes later and they were sitting on Corrine's back porch, each with a lit cigarette in a hand and a relief in their chests that could only come after disaster. Normally Auggie wouldn't smoke but tonight it was more than called for. As the nicotine crawled through his veins and his heart calmed to a normal pace and his head wrapped around the fact that his best friend was sitting beside him, living, breathing, warm he couldn't help but ask the question:

"What's it say?"

"Nothing important," she responded calmly, "Just empty words. So- you thought I was dead?"

"Well, yes," he replied thoughtfully, no time like the present to be honest, "Just, with everything going on lately and the way you've been acting- then you disappear and I find a note on the counter in your empty house? Yea. I did."

It was quiet for a long time after, only their breathing alerting the two to one another's existence. There was a bittersweet taste to these quiet moments like it was the end of an era and they could both see it coming.

"I like this," Corrine smiled, stealing a glance at her oldest partner in crime.

He gave her an incredulous half-smile.

"Definitely, I find that thinking that my best friend has committed suicide then suddenly realizing that she hasn't is one of the greatest times of my life," he shook his head and took one last drag before putting out his half smoked cigarette.

"Hey," she punched him softly, "I mean it. I've missed this, you and me just being together. Not worrying about who likes who or what drama needs to be regulated. We're both emotionally here-" she paused then, for so long that Auggie started to wonder if she was still there- "I wish it could have always been like this."

_Could have-_ _been like this_? Auggie's brain tried to sort through all the past tense speech and that's when everything started to fall into place.

"Cory, where's your car?"

Once again he was met with silence and all of his suspicions were confirmed.

"I'm leaving," she said simply. "Car's in the shop."

"Wow," he breathed, "That's sudden."

"Not really," scoffed, "Auggie, my whole life has been a disaster and all this time, I've felt trapped. By myself, my mother, you-"

"Me-"

"I love you, August Anderson, and in such a way that I thought if I left you it would be… like leaving part of me," she said softly, "And it still does but I get it now. The only way to find that absent part of me that you fill in is to go and find it."

He didn't know what to say, he'd been in love with this girl for the first eighteen years of his life, an endless moment in wait to hear those three words fed back to him like honey. But then she said it, the moment finally came and it lead him to do something that he never thought he would be able to. He let the moment pass. Still, she would always have some little corner of his heart.

"Since when have you been so smart," he asked, some miniscule part of him breaking and some other larger part feeling proud.

"So anyways," she said, clearly afraid of having more than one personal moment in a matter of twenty-four hours, "You came over here to remind me that Thanksgiving dinner is on the table and frankly, I'm hungry."

She tugged him off the ground and he let her.

"Oh wait," he came to a stop, forcing a marching Corrine to do the same. Hastily he dig his phone out of his pocket and held it out to her, "First I need you to call Conrad. I lied and told him that you were at my house."

"Ah, right, he was calling me a lot and I didn't feel like talking so eventually I just turned off my phone," she was quiet for a moment and Auggie could hear her rocking back and forth, trying to make a decision, "Should I tell him?"

"No," he answered immediately, "Let him have today."

"Right," she smiled again, giving him a peck on the cheek, "What will I do without you?"

It certainly seemed like a happy ending so why was he so damn sad?


	23. Maybe

_**A/N:**_ It's almost over guys. I realize that it's been more than a month that I updated but it needed to be right and I think this is. It's been a good run, more than a years worth and it's been a pleasure running it with you wonderful people! I hope you enjoy this chapter! There are only two more... Wow. That feels weird! Seriously, though, this would have never made it this far if it hadn't been for you guys.

Thanks.

**Disclaimer**: Despite my obvious worth, I still do not own Covert Affairs... I don't get it. Clearly I'm a professional. ;)

_'I don't want to be the one to say goodbye,_  
_But I will, I will, I will. _  
_I don't wanna sit on the pavement while you fly,_  
_But I will, I will, oh yes I will._

_'Cause maybe in the future you're gonna come back,_  
_You're gonna come back around._  
_Maybe in the future you're gonna come back,_  
_You're gonna come back. _

_Oh the only way to really know,_  
_Is to really let it go._  
_Maybe in the future you're gonna come back,_  
_You're gonna come back to me.'_

-Maybe, _Ingrid Michaelson_

* * *

**Maybe**

Ideally, this wasn't how Auggie wanted to spend his Friday afternoon. With the utter absentmindedness that accompanies absolute boredom, he swirled his straw around his half empty cup of Mr. Pibb. It was his fourth cup and pretty soon he was going to have to visit the men's room. He listened to the chaos moving around him, it was the Friday after Black Friday and he was pretty sure that he'd lost his mind when he agreed to go out with Annie during such a busy time of the year. The mall was a blind guy's hell. But that wasn't even the worst part of things. Certainly not. The worst part was the fact that he was supposed to be sharing his lovely girlfriend with the likes of Ben Mercer who, by nature's law, was a no-show.

Auggie relaxed back in his chair, turning the waiter down when he offered to get Auggie yet another Mr. Pibb. He was pretty sure his bladder would commit a mutiny if he'd said yes. Somewhere that may as well have been worlds away, Annie was trying to call Ben to find out where he was. The poor girl just couldn't accept the fact that after three hours the jackass just wasn't going to show up. And Auggie was done making excuses for the guy to make Annie feel better. It was about time for her to face the facts. Needless to say, Annie was fed up with both the men in her life.

Finally the chair in front of him dragged across the floor and he leaned forward as Annie gave a little huff when she plopped into her seat.

"He didn't answer his phone," she said in that very distinct way Annie had when she was trying to cover up just how disappointed she really was. "He's always been the kind to be late but this getting ridiculous. I'm glad we didn't order him anything to eat."

"I don't get it, Annie," Auggie sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned against the table, "Why do you keep letting him disappoint you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered with a clipped tongue.

"Fine," Auggie shrugged.

"Fine."

Annie called for the check and Auggie followed her out with barely a touch to her back. Frankly, he was tired of this Ben thing and it pissed him off that his girlfriend was still hung up on that prick. People make mistakes all the time but when you make the same one over and over it just shows that you really don't know what you've got, unfortunately Annie couldn't see that with Ben and it was going to drive Auggie up the wall. Soon as they were outside, though, he got a firm hold on her arm. Between the snow and the impenetrable crowds, he was lost. His how-to-be-blind instructor called snow 'blind man's fog' and damn he wasn't kidding.

The silence followed the two all the way into the car and down the road, "Are you mad at me?"

He just couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"No," she said shortly.

Auggie rolled his eyes. That was _so_ obviously girl talk for 'yes, I'm totally pissed at you but for some reason I can't tell you.' He'd learned that long ago from his mother. She would always say she was fine but on the inside she was dying to speak her mind. That was the thing about Corrine, she always spoke her mind or did something to convey exactly what she wanted to say. Annie was more like his mom in this way.

"Gotcha," he shook his head and laid it back against the headrest.

Honestly, he'd forgotten what it was like to have a girlfriend. They could be so damn moody and it was always his job to fix things.

"Why don't we go somewhere," he suggested lightly, his hand gently squeezing her knee, "Somewhere only we know?"

"Yea," she inquired, her tone slowly loosening to its original timbre, "Where's that exactly?"

"Well, there's this little playground over at the park," he began suggestively, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "No one ever plays on it because it's old and they built the new one out in front of it. There shouldn't be too many kids because-"

"Say no more," she smiled, her foot pressing a little harder on the gas pedal.

He could hear Annie giggling as she hung on the monkey bars. Auggie himself was leaning on the ladder across from her, reveling in the sound of his best friend's happiness. There wasn't a more beautiful sound in the world. It echoed everywhere, the cold air throwing it off in the distance but at the same time bringing it close. Like the world was filled to the brim with Annie Walker. At least his was.

"I bet you can't make it all the way across the monkey bars," Annie teased as she dropped to the ground just a few steps in front of him, he grinned, reached up and touched one of the bars without any effort, "Hey, that's cheating."

"I love it when you pout," he said softly.

He reached out until his hand bumped her side and he pulled her in. She was too big in her coat and sweater and scarf and gloves and he in his. Silently he cursed Illinois and its climate; it was separating him from Annie's warm skin. After stripping off one of his gloves, he clumsily found her mouth, tracing with his thumb before catching her lips with his own, drawing her in with gentle kisses at first and deepening them with each passing moment. He could feel her eyes drifting shut as her lashes brushed against his cheekbones and he smiled through the kiss. God, she was so beautiful.

"I'm sorry," she breathed between kisses, "I didn't… mean to get… so snippy. It's just –" she pushed him away, her hand on his chest, her head on his shoulder- "I've never really gotten an explanation, a why and I thought he might give me one but- well, he just walked right out on me again. Didn't he?"

"I'm not sorry," Auggie said, wishing that just this once he could make eye contact and know that she understood, "He's the one who's lost something, Annie, not you. I've known people like him – miserable, wandering – they do everything they can to make other people as miserable as they can so they don't feel so alone but you know what? And don't get me wrong, this is selfish, very selfish but I'm glad he left because if he hadn't you never would have given me the time of day. You've changed my life, Annie Walker, and I don't regret that for a minute."

It was still for a moment but – as all of them do – that moment passed and Annie pulled him back in. Her warmth rocketed past his lips and into his stomach, swelling and filling him with everything good in the world. There would never be anything more than this.

oOo

Annie sat curled up on Auggie's family room couch, tucked into her boyfriend's side. It was getting pretty comfortable, this relationship and it felt strangely normal. The thought made her smile and she managed to wiggle her way in a little closer. Both families were used to Annie and Auggie by then, as it was rare to find one without the other and it seemed that they were even being- accepted. Even Mrs. Anderson was starting to warm up to Annie.

Looking at the screen Annie's eyes grew wider as an especially nasty zombie – or rather, half of a zombie – was trying to bite the leg of a man who had just woken from a coma only to find that their world had been invaded by some sort of disease that turned people into the living dead in a matter of days. Not only was she watching it but she also listening as Jamie gave a surprisingly well said description of the scene for Auggie who was grinning like an idiot. They'd drawn her in under the pretenses that they would be watching 'festive' TV… This didn't seem very festive. Though she had to admit, she was kind of liking this show.

As the commercials started running, Auggie stood up and stretched his arms over his head and Annie took notice as his shirt revealed the lower part of his stomach, subconsciously she wet her lips. The doorbell rang just as Auggie disappeared into the kitchen and Annie and Jamie looked at each other.

"It's your house," she reasoned, "I'm just a guest."

"Not that you practically live here," Jamie scoffed, "But fine, you sit there and let us men wait on you hand and foot, don't be helpful or anything."

"Sounds good to me," she smiled brightly, earning a grin from him.

When she heard Corrine's voice reverberating off the walls of the entryway, she couldn't help but crinkle her nose. It wasn't that she didn't like Corrine as a person – especially now that she seemed to be getting her shit together – but she definitely stole some of Auggie's attention. Almost like a faithful puppy Auggie appeared around the corner with a half poured cup of soda in his hand, eyes wide in curiosity.

"Is Corrine here?"

"She is," Corrine's voice answered before Annie could even open her mouth. "'Sup hosers, miss me?"

"I only miss you when you're gone," Jamie grumbled as he retook his seat in the recliner.

"You're such a brat," Corrine smiled brightly.

"So how was New York," Auggie asked, smiling as he always did when Corrine was around, Annie felt a twinge of jealousy.

"It was alright, I think my mom and I actually get along better now that we aren't living anywhere close to each other," she flopped onto the couch where Auggie'd been sitting and snatched a Twizzler off of the coffee table, "Anyways, I basically told her that I won't need the house anymore after graduation and that I wouldn't need her either. She seemed pretty alright with it."

Auggie perched himself on the arm of the couch beside Corrine, "Sounds like your mom to me."

"Totally, so can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure," he shrugged, "What's up?"

"I mean alone," she said, unabashed.

"Uh, I guess so," he said slowly, not wanting his girlfriend to think there was something going on, they'd already been down that road and he would rather not return to it.

"It's fine," Annie said perhaps too quickly, "Jamie and I'll will catch you up on the episode when you get back."

As soon as Corrine and Auggie went out to the back porch, Annie and Jamie exchanged a glance. Both of them knew that something was going on lately. Corrine would come over as she did that day and she and Auggie would have these long talks that no one else was invited into. Of course, being the little brother that he is, Jamie would always tell Annie when one of these rendezvous would occur. Almost at the same time, they stood up from their seats and snuck around to the kitchen. Annie froze in her tracks at first because it seemed like Auggie was looking her square in the face through the sliding glass door. Jamie softly smacked her shoulder and gave her that look that said 'really?' but she simply shrugged.

Corrine was sitting on the steps, as she always did, with Auggie standing in front of her. Jamie and Annie hid on either sight of the door, just in case Corrine turned around without warning. The two were talking calmly about something that didn't make sense at first, but slowly things became clear.

"So I was thinking January," Corrine was saying.

"January, that doesn't make sense," Auggie crossed his arms, his voice taking on that responsible voice that he was just so damn good at when someone needed him to make a decision.

"How doesn't that make sense," she lit up a cigarette as she spoke, "It makes perfect sense to me."

"Not really," he replied firmly, "What about school?"

"What about it," she shrugged.

"Honestly, Corrine, you'll literally be less than five months away from graduating. This are good right now, why not just wait it out?"

"I don't feel that these last five months are going to do me any good, Augs, I mean what are they going to get me-"

"A diploma-"

"That I can't get by taking a three hour test?"

It was quiet for a minute and Annie and Jamie stared at each other with wide eyes from their individual hiding places. What did she mean by that? Was she going somewhere in January? Was she sick? There were just so many questions running rampant in her brain that she almost missed the answer.

"You're right," Auggie sighed, Annie peeked around the corner to see him squeezing his eyes closed and pinching his nose with his fingers. At first she felt guilty, spying on him like that, like she was violating his rights but it quickly went away as she began to appreciate how easy it was to recognize every stance and what it mean according to Auggie. She hadn't even known Ben that well. "I guess I just hate that you're leaving."

"Oh come on," Corrine chuckled but Annie could tell she was upset but closing things off, as always, "You know that you'll sleep better when I'm gone. I know I'm a problem."

"You're my problem," Auggie said.

"Not anymore, I'm my problem and I'm taking care of it," she took in a long drag on her cigarette before blowing it out in an impossible pillar of smoke.

"Are we still going to talk," he asked in such a soft voice that Annie almost missed it. Her heart jumped a little bit, aching at those tender words.

"Not for a little while," Corrine said, more gently than Annie had ever heard, "I'm going to need some time, you know, to figure things out? But of course we'll talk, eventually."

She started to stand and simultaneously Annie and Jamie jumped up from their hideouts and ran for the living room in their stocking feet. Both of them fell into their respective seats just as the sliding door slid open and the other two stepped inside.

"Whoa," Annie mouthed at Jamie.

He just shook his head.

Auggie came around the corner but Corrine must have left through the backyard because she was nowhere to be found. There was something off about him and it disappointed Annie that her presence wasn't enough. She chided herself for being so selfish. She just had to face the facts that there was something between Corrine and Auggie that was unbreakable, that couldn't ever be touched by anyone else and she should be happy that he was lucky enough to have someone like that in his life, because those kinds of friendships are rare.

"You okay," she asked as he sat down beside her, her arms weaved through his and he welcomed her.

"I'm dandy," he smiled, giving her no reason to doubt his words.

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her head but it felt different. Annie had that strange feeling that they were all on the brink of change.

oOo

Christmas came and went with that magical _zing_ that it brings to the air but the New Year was imminent and it would bring with it far more feeling than anyone could have imagined. On New Year's Eve, Auggie laid on Annie's bed while she tried to find something to wear. He wasn't bored necessarily but he had to admit that he was getting a bit sleepy. There was a sound though, that caught his attention. A zipper, fabric falling to the floor.

"That's the one, it looks beautiful on you," he grinned wolfishly.

"Auggie, I'm not wearing any- Auggie!"

"Hey, I'm just telling the truth."

"This outfit is only for you," she said lowly, slinking over him in naught but her bra and panties.

"I think I can live with that."

His right hand ran up her thigh and followed her waist, her back, her breast and collarbone, skirting the fabric of her panties with the thumb of his left hand. This was exactly how things should be. If he could have captured the moment and kept it somewhere safe, he would have. Her hair, well past her shoulders now, blanketed his arm and he felt chills of the best kind running up his spine. He still couldn't figure out what he'd done to deserve happiness like this.

A knock on the door had them apart like live wires and Auggie could hear Annie running about her room, probably pulling on random bits of clothing.

"Yea," she said as she pulled the door open, Auggie sat up into what he hoped was a less suggestive position.

"Your father and I are leaving," her mother said slowly, "What are you two up to in here?"

"I'm trying to find a dress for the party that officially starts in- one hour," Annie said, figuring that honesty was the best policy.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Walker," Auggie grinned, "I've been keeping my eyes closed."

"Oh hush you," she giggled before her voice went back to her motherly duties, "Now listen – both of you," she began pointedly, "-I realize that you are high school seniors and there will be alcohol at this party. All I ask is that you stay at that house, alright? Promise me."

"I promise, mom," Annie said sincerely.

"Auggie?"

"I promise, mom," he smiled, without his impishness this time. "Now you've got to promise, too."

"I promise," she sighed but he could hear the appreciation, "Alright, excellent. You two have fun, I'll see you tomorrow, and Happy New Year."

An hour later and Auggie was following his girlfriend into a party that he could hear long before they were in the driveway. He knew it would be loud and he knew that Corrine was inviting a lot of people but this just seemed ridiculous. He took a few deep breaths, trying to relax and loosen up. Of course, once he had a few drinks in his system he would be all liquid limbs and bliss. It didn't take long to find alcohol either, as soon as the two walked through the door, drinks magically materialized in their hands and by the time they were in the living room he was downing his third cup of something that tasted like watermelon Kool-Aid and vodka. Not bad really.

"Tonight's going to be an adventure," Annie yelled over the music and still Auggie could barely hear her, "You want to sit on the couch?"

"I think that seems the best case scenario," he hollered back, maybe there was more than Vodka in those drinks because his knees were already feeling like jelly.

"Especially since you keep tottering over like a toddler," Annie laughed.

Time passed by in a strange sort of haze; a countdown – 4, 3, 2, 1 – Annie's lips, her hips, a dress on the floor that he tripped over, a quiet room, a quieter bed. Sometimes when time moved like this – fast and slow and long – he felt like he was on the brink of understanding everything. It was a frightening place to be but it was also the best. Fully clothed again – though he wasn't sure when that happened – he and Annie once again sat on the couch and he pondered the circularity of time and existence, Corrine finally made an appearance.

"Meeting in the outdoors, care to join," she said, startling both Auggie and Annie.

"Yes," he said.

Everything sort of snapped back into reality at that point. He knew what was coming, he felt it in the marrow of his bones.

The cold helped bring him down from a high that he hadn't experienced since he and Chris tried weed in the 9th grade. Vaguely he wondered if there was more than alcohol in those drinks he'd been consuming like candy. They all stood around Corrine's car in the too-crowded driveway; Stu, Conrad, Jai, Annie, Auggie, and of course, Corrine. It was quiet for a while but it didn't last for long.

"So this is it," Stu said, sounding awed by the very situation, this year would be a hard one to swallow, in more ways than one, "The end?"

"The end, the beginning," Corrine shrugged, "It's all just a circle in the end, you know."

"It's been great," Conrad said, he stepped forward and pulled Corrine in, holding her while he still could, "I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Everyone followed suit, forming a circle of bodies that would never break with Corrine as their axis. In a strange way it had been her that brought them together and it was her that kept them that way. They were all wondering the same thing; would it be the same without her? Tears were shed, punctuated by the reminiscent laughed that would echo through their minds even after they forgot.

"I love you guys," Corrine said, her voice thick, "Maybe one day I'll be back, yea?"

"Of course," Auggie said, his face hot and wet with tears that he didn't even realize had fallen. She pulled him in for a hug that was so tight that it hurt but he was pretty sure that it was the only thing holding him together. "You haven't been drinking, have you?" he asked close to her ear.

"I'm not that stupid, August Anderson," she chuckled, "This is a beginning remember?"

They separated and Auggie was barely aware of the fact that Annie was holding his hand.

"Don't miss me too much," she said as she opened the door and slipped inside of her already warmed car, "But don't forget me either."

"Who could forget you," Annie shook her head, "You demand to be remembered."

"Damn straight!" Stu added.

Corrine smiled, looking over her friends with eyes green as bottle glass, and for the first time she knew there would be a tomorrow and that everything would be okay.


	24. Vienna

_**A/N**_: This is the last chapter, hang on to your shorts. It's a doozy.

_**Disclaimer**_: I do not own Covert Affairs, even after twenty- four chapters.

_'Days last one way ticket train pulls in,_  
_We smile for the casual closure capturing._  
_There goes the downpour, there goes my fare thee well._

_There's really no way to reach me..._  
_..._  
_'Cause I'm already gone.'_

The Fray, _Vienna_

* * *

**Vienna**

You know when you wake up and there's this feeling in the house, the kind of feeling that gives you chills and makes you want to go back to sleep and not wake up till it's gone. It was the first weekend of March, the snow was all but gone but the blizzard of senior year work was upon them and Auggie had been trying to catch up on his sleep. His fingers had been hurting from reading so much, his head about to explode from listening to books so much and his back sore from leaning over books so much. Those goddamn books were going to kill him. Still, no matter how much he wanted to, he just couldn't sleep anymore. Something wouldn't let him.

The house was quiet enough for it to be early morning, before dawn even. Still he rolled out of bed and made for downstairs. Hushed voices met his ears as he took that last step off the stairs, if he'd known then what he was walking into, he would have turned back but he didn't and he kept walking. It was strange to him that everyone was already up, or at least a few people were. Jamie was always up this early, his mother too but there were too many voices for this time of the day. He didn't know why his heart was pounding so hard in his chest, didn't know why his blood suddenly felt like ice water.

The voices all but disappeared as he walked around the corner and entered the living room and he could feel three or so pairs of eyes on his skin. There was movement in front of him, the sound of the couch creaking, soft footsteps on the hardwood but he could barely hear any of it because his heart was pounding in his head. A gentle hand touched his arm – his mother, he could smell her shampoo and lotion – the simple touch brought him to shaking.

"What's happened," he whispered.

He knew this feeling, from years ago and a moment that he'd shut out, that he wanted to forget and never revisit and this must just be a terrible dream. He had to wake up – now! – before the answer came from his mother's mouth and could never be taken back.

"I'm so sorry, August," his mother began, that was all it took. This was no bad dream, it was happening again. But how? How could this happen again? "It's Corrine."

"No-" he said firmly, he wouldn't let it, this couldn't be.

"It was a car accident," she continued, firm but gentle, "It was late at night. It wasn't her fault. It was quick."

"I don't believe you," he said, his voice too loud, too wrong, too wet.

He backed away from her, wanting to escape from that awful soft touch. Those terrible velvet gloves. This couldn't happen, not to her, it just couldn't. Impossible. His foot caught on something – a table? A chair? – and suddenly the ground was rushing up to meet him. A dull ache shot up his spine but he didn't care. A much worse pain was sweltering in his chest, an ache that made it hard to breath. He couldn't breathe. Where had all the air gone? It fled the room like he wanted to because of the awful sound that was coming from someone. It tore at his lungs and his throat and he knew then that it was him. He was the one screaming – no not screaming. What to call it, he didn't know but if pain could be made into sound, this would be it.

Time passed strangely and everything was so quiet. He didn't really understand what was going on around him and didn't care to find out. There were a few words that he understood but only because he'd asked for them. Mrs. Morgan had called late the night before and told his mother that Corrine had been in a car accident, that she'd been dead on arrival, that she hadn't stood a chance! What did that even mean? It was like they were saying that this was meant to be, that no matter what she did she would always have ended up in that moment, that the high-as-a-kite driver five lanes over scoped her out as though his fate had been tied to hers. How could someone so damn strong fall so damn fast.

She was changing, making her life better, finally taking charge and look where it had landed her. The morgue, the same place she would have ended up if she hadn't made the decision to take the wheel of her life – he winced grimly at the poorly placed pun. Maybe that was it. She'd had two choices the night he thought he'd walked in on her suicide, or at least that's what she'd said to him later when there was no one but the two of them; she could either stay and be her own undoing or leave and make something of the time she'd been given. What a cruel joke. It was one of those damn circles – both roads led to the same end. It wasn't fair, her path had been set.

He was very conscious of getting up from the couch that he'd been sitting on since he woke up that morning, after he'd stopped mourning enough to breathe. He had been through this before and gotten through it, he would do it again, but not yet. He went up to his room, pulled on some jeans, a sweater – it was still cold out, right? He couldn't be sure. At the door he pulled on his Chucks, grabbed his cane – all the usual things. His movements a series of mechanical reactions.

"Where are you going," Jamie asked from the entry way of the kitchen, it was innocent, soft, young.

"Somewhere that isn't this house, I'm drowning in it," he answered.

"Can I go with you?"

"Yea."

They walked together but apart in the cold. Occasionally Jamie would nudge Auggie away from things or tug him back on course. In a way Auggie was glad that his baby brother was there because his own mind was too far gone to really know what his body was doing. That and he really didn't want to be alone. HE wondered if Jamie was sad too, if he was feeling that hollowness that came with losing someone. Auggie switched cane hands and reached out for his brother. He grabbed Jamie's sweater and pulled him around, taking him into a hug that he hadn't realized he needed so much.

The younger boy's arms wrapped around his chest without hesitation and Auggie could feel the catch in Jamie's breathing. So he did feel it – but of course he did.

"I miss her," Jamie's voice broke and the crying started and Auggie cried, too.

"I miss her, too, Jameson," Auggie soothed, trying to keep his own emotions in check, "I miss her, too."

oOo

The funeral service was- difficult. Auggie hadn't wanted to go – Annie had actually had to convince him with the help of Jamie and Stu – the thing was that he'd already said his goodbyes and if he said them again then the first time wouldn't have meant anything anymore. In the end he was glad that he went, if one can be glad about attending such a thing, because it was nice seeing all the people there for her and feeling the loss together instead of alone. But it was the burial that tore him apart, putting her in the ground beside her dead brother – his dead best friend! – broke him into a million pieces because it was so final. She was really gone. He would never hear her talk again, never feel her breathing, never smell her cigarettes and vanilla and Corrine and – Dammit.

He'd had to take a minute to himself near the end and at that time he was sitting by an old tree, far enough away that he could barely hear what was going on beneath the Cabana. His chest had been hurting for the past few days and every time someone came up and told him how sorry they were his tear ducts started acting up. A few deep breaths and he had control again. The way he felt was strange, like he was incredibly sad but he knew that everything would be alright. He hated to say it but maybe it was because he'd been preparing himself for her passing for a long time. God, what an awful thing to think.

He could hear talking explode from beneath the Cabana, signaling the end of the service as people tried to gather up their counterparts and head to the reception. How ridiculous, a viewing, a service, the burial, and now a reception; Corrine would have hated the fuss – too long, she would've said, such a drag. He wished she was there with him, smoking her cigarettes and making inappropriate jokes about the dead. But there was really no way to reach her, for real this time.

"How goes," Jamie's voice cut in, his crunching footsteps finally reaching Auggie's ears.

"It goes," Auggie answered, giving a smile that faltered almost as soon as it arrived. "What about you?"

"I don't know," Jamie said softly, his voice sounding kind of weird, like something was lodged in his throat, "Just kind of feels weird I guess- I keep thinking what she would say if she were here-"

"Join the club," Stu joined in, giving Auggie a slap on the shoulder, "She would have been bored by now, there's no booze."

"Exactly," Auggie chuckled, "And she would have been pissed that they wouldn't let her smoke. Jesus, can you imagine the look on her face?"

"One eyebrow raised," Conrad appeared, his voice the most ragged of them all, in the back of his head Auggie could still hear him crying.

"Hand on her hip-" said Stu.

"Head tilted to the side with that grin on her face-" Jamie continued.

"'Um, excuse me, baby?'" They all chimed in together, falling into comfortable laughter.

There was a silence that followed, each one of them drifting off into their own individual memories of a girl they would never see again. If only she'd known what kind of mark she'd left on their lives, if only she truly understood how much of an axis to their circle she'd been. Now it was stronger than ever, he memory a bond that they would all share for as long as they were breathing.

"I don't think we should go to the service," Jamie said quietly.

"What do you mean, Jamie," Stu asked for everyone.

"Well I mean, what's going to happen there," he began, seeming to feel quite strongly about what he was saying, "There's going to be slew of adults asking us how we feel, a buffet of bad food with worse music playing the background. How is that a tribute to Corrine, like seriously? We're her friends, her best friends. I say we take the party somewhere else and remember her the right way."

"Well said, little brother," Auggie said with a smile, he stood up from the tree and slung an arm around his brother's shoulders, "What'd you say we collect the girls and bust this joint?"

"I think that's perfect," Conrad agreed, the others following suit.

After stopping by the gas station to pick up a pack of Corrine's favorite brand of cigarettes, the crew walked to the shoreline and planted themselves on some old driftwood that they'd used for the party all those months ago – damn, it seemed like a lifetime. The wind that rushed off of the water was cold but no one really minded, this was Corrine's place, she'd loved it here. Auggie passed around the pack and everyone took one and lit up. The coughing that followed was hilarious and someone mentioned how Corrine would be calling them all 'babies' right about then.

Annie wove her fingers through Auggie's and they shared in each other's warmth, listening to and sharing stories about that green-eyed girl who partied hard and loved even harder. Auggie took the last drag of his cigarette and put it out in the sand. His throat had constricted, his mouth watering a bit too much, pressure building behind his eyes.

"It'll be okay, August," Annie said, her tiny hand turning his face down towards her as tears rolled down his skin, "Everything will be okay."

He nodded as the sobs started coming and as Annie kissed away his tears and held him close, he didn't care who was watching.

Prom had been fun, perhaps a little different than everyone had been expecting but it certainly wasn't terrible. Annie and Auggie had danced a lot more than she expected and she also had been able to witness why Conrad wasn't allowed to dance at parties – it was rather frightening and also dangerous. Still, even after drinking a considerable amount of spiked fruit punch she could feel a cloud looming over her head. It was something that she'd been thinking about and something that she and Auggie had been avoiding.

Annie sat outside the gym in one of the dugouts by the baseball field. She was freezing her ass off but she'd needed some time to herself to think. So much had happened this year, good and bad, and she knew that there was even more to come. Graduation was lurking around the corner and she felt like she was being stalked by adulthood. Not to mention she would be spending most of her summer out of the country on various trips and on the beach with friends and – god it was just so much to think about.

"Annie," Auggie's voice called at a bit of a distance, "Annie?"

"I'm in the dig out," she called back, a smile on her face. He always came looking for her.

His cane lead the way to the fence just behind her and he seemed to be surprised that he couldn't go any further, his hands reaching out to find the chain link fencing.

"What're you doing out here," he asked softly, "I had to ask one of the guys where you went. Is everything alright?"

"I think so," she answered, she turned around and looped her hands in the link just above where Auggie had looped his, "Just thinking about some things, is all."

"Sounds kind of lame," he said matter-of-factly, "Mind if I join?"

"Of course not," that was mostly true, "The gate is about five steps to your left."

She watched as he cautiously made his way around, giving him hints every once in a while by saying something pointless so that she could help him without actually helping him. His independence lately had been hitting pivotal levels and it made her happy to see him so confident in finding his own way around. They'd all grown up so much in this last year of high school. This last year of childhood.

Once he was sitting on the bench beside her, cane folded up and stowed, she scooted in close and held on to this closeness.

"So tell me," he said, taking off his jacket and draping it around her shoulders, "Tell me what has you so worked up that you're sitting out in the freezing cold without a jacket and without your incredible boyfriend on prom night."

"I think we should break up," she said simply.

Auggie tensed and turned towards her with eyes as wide as apples, she would have sworn that if he'd opened them any further they would have fallen out.

"Not right now," she said quickly, making Auggie look confused, "But I mean – ugh, what do I mean…"

She took a long breath, this probably wasn't the best time to be discussing this but she really did have to get this off of her chest or she wouldn't be able to relax.

"It's just that after high school is over we're going to different schools with different people and long distance relationships suck and I don't want to mess up things between us because of that because I feel like so much could happen if we tried to stay together but failed and-"

"Annie," he said quietly, an amused little smile on his face, "I agree."

"You- you do," she asked, watching as his fingers trailed up her arm so gently it could have been butterflies.

"Yes, I do," he sighed, his eyes shifting downward, he'd been doing that more, his eyes drifting off unexpectedly, "I don't want to screw things up either, I like you too much but for now… well, for now, let's just enjoy the time we have left together and later we can figure out the friendship between us. Sound good?"

Her heart thudded in her chest, looking up at the boy that she'd fallen so hard for. In their short time together they'd been through so much and the thought of losing him to anything made her feel sick to her stomach but she was so glad that he'd agreed, that she hadn't messed things up already. She'd already lost one friend this year, she couldn't lose another.

"Sounds perfect," she said, pressing a kiss to his mouth.

* * *

An epilogue is on its way!

MM


	25. Epilogue

_**Epilogue**_

Waking up beside August Anderson was one of the greatest things that Annie Walker had ever done, unfortunately it was also one of those things she would soon be giving up. The sun peeked through the sheer curtains, shedding light over her boyfriend's face. He looked perfectly peaceful as he slept with the sunlight tingeing his hair red and glinting like glitter between his eyelashes. Annie's fingers splayed across his smooth chest and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. These past few days were perfect – the beach, the friends, the sunshine, and Auggie, she honestly couldn't think of anything better.

"You shouldn't stare at me for too long, you might go blind," he chuckled groggily, "Or maybe that's the sun."

"Someone's in a good mood this morning," she smiled, her fingers toying with his messy hair, "I never thought I would see the day that Auggie Anderson became a morning person."

"That's what happens when I wake up beside the most beautiful girl in the world," he rolled over and found her shoulder before trailing his fingers up to her jaw. Already Annie could feel her lips parting, the heat of his hand lighting her cheeks on fire.

"Oh come on, you've never even seen me," she breathed distractedly as his fingers crept up and down her sides.

"Some things, Ms. Walker," he whispered against her neck, "I just know."

"Do you now," she inhaled, feeling their bodies tighten against each other.

"Mmhmm."

She watched him for a moment, noticing the way his sleepy gaze sparkled like gold in the early morning light, the way his full pink mouth quirked up on the right side, and his perfectly sculpted nose tilted downwards as he guided her towards him. The vision faded as her eyelids slid shut and the warmth of his mouth engulfed her. Beneath the sheets, Auggie's leg wrapped around her calf and tugged her closer, his knee gently parting her thighs as he rolled her over and positioned himself on top of her.

As he supported himself on his elbows, he pressed gentle kisses to her forehead, temples, eyebrows, cheeks, eyelids, and collarbone. Slowly he lowered his hips so that their hipbones were pressed together and her back arched so much that her ribcage splayed open. Her fingernails bit into his side and he pushed into her, her toes curling into the sheets.

"Auggie," she moaned as his hips picked up a rhythmic pace and caused little spurts of ecstasy to explode in her brain. "Oh god."

Annie's fingers gripped the back of Auggie's neck and she nibbled at the skin just above his collarbone, he shuddered above her before pressing in harder – faster. It was like the ribs beneath her skin were vibrating, every pore of skin was buzzing, and all she could see was the beautiful boy above her as he filled her with the love she could feel in the way that he touched her and kissed her and spoke to her and now here he was, proving every last bit of it.

His hand slid beneath her, those long, sensual fingers raising goosebumps on her skin.

"Annie," he grumbled and pressed her up against him in one swift strong movement.

That was all it took. Those little bubbles of euphoria boiled over and spread from the roots of her hair to the tips of her fingers and toes. Her back arched and their chests met, their erratically beating hearts pumping against each other. As she came down, he held her close, spreading soft, slow kisses to her sweat misted skin. She rolled him over, laying her head against his chest for just a moment.

"I love you so much," she whispered, her voice catching on the little shards of pain in her throat.

"I love you too," he pressed his nose into her hair and took a deep breath.

Saying goodbye to this boy would be the hardest thing Annie Walker would ever do.

Commotion in the halls of the hotel caught their attention and before they knew it someone was beating on their door.

"Get up lazy asses, last day of vaca we're off to the beach!"

The voice was clearly Conrad's and the two laughed lightly before getting up.

"Maybe someday we'll actually be able to do this without being informally interrupted afterwards," Auggie shook his head.

Once he pulled his boxers up, he carefully made his way to the suitcase he kept in the half-closet by the door. Annie watched him, glad that he couldn't see the look on her face. Honestly, she couldn't say that there would be a someday for them and that bothered her to no end, it left an ache deep in the pit of her stomach. She would miss him more than anything and she would miss the way he made her feel – invincible, loved.

"Annie," he tilted his face towards the spot where he left her on the bed, his brown eyes concerned, searching for her. "You okay?"

"Yes," she smiled softly, "This has just been a really amazing week. It's weird to think that it's almost over."

"True," he nodded, he pulled on a shirt and made his way back to her, she reached out and took his hand before his knees hit the bed, "But it's something that we'll always have, something we'll always remember. Yes?"

"Yes," she nodded, smiling for real this time before placing a kiss to his unsuspecting mouth.

"That's my Annie, now let's get out there before they decide to break down the door."

oOo

The end of their senior trip came and went and before Annie knew it, she was sitting in an airport terminal with her boyfriend and his best friend waiting for the plane that would take her on a trip to three different countries – France, Russia, and then to South America. Yes, she was absolutely excited about finally living out her dreams and exercising the languages that she would eventual start studying in University but as the boy beside her massaged her palm with his thumb, she was almost positive that she didn't want to leave.

"Did you hear me," Stu asked, Annie turned to look at him with eyes wide and shook her head, "I asked what you were most excited about?"

"Oh," she smiled but she was still distracted by the thousand and one thoughts that were racing around her brain, "The people I think," she nodded, "Yea, I'm really excited about learning from the different cultures and actually being able to speak to people in their native languages."

"You're going to do great," Auggie whispered against her ear before pressing a kiss to her head.

If only he knew how difficult he was making this for her.

Fifteen minutes later and her flight was called. Auggie and Stu walked with her to the gate and after giving Stu one last hug she turned to Auggie. God there was just so much to say, how could she possibly convey her feelings in the next two minutes? She took his hand but quickly broke down and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I'm going to miss you so much," she moaned.

It wouldn't have been so bad were it not for the fact that they were going to schools separated by several states. But that's what happens when you get a linguist and a computer genius together. Of course, she was proud that her boyfriend would be attending MIT but she would feel his absence more than he could possibly know.

"Hey, everything is going to be fine," he chuckled, she feel his voice vibrate through her lungs and it calmed her a little, "This isn't over, you know. One day I'm going to sniff you out and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

She laughed, "I look forward to it."

She pulled away and after a rather rushed and awkward kiss she passed through the gate, completely unable to turn around and wave goodbye.

"You alright," Stu slapped Auggie's back as he watched Annie pass through the gate, the door closing behind her.

"Yea," Auggie cleared his throat and tapped his cane on the floor a couple of times, this was hard and was going to miss her, but there was this feeling in his gut, "I'll see her again."

"Really, how do you know that?"

"Because, this was only the beginning of Anne."

oOo

_**Ten Years Later**_

Anne Catherine Walker sat at her desk in the DPD. The stack of transcripts that needed to be translated had her head spinning and her tiny metal trash can filled past the boiling point with coffee cups. For whatever reason, work had been slow lately but she wasn't about to let that stop her from being productive – and at least her feet weren't killing her.

"Annie," Joan Campbell, director of the DPD and Annie's boss, called from the steps that lead to the briefing room, "Briefing in five."

A quiet song and dance went on in Annie's head as she outwardly gave Joan a respectable nod. It had been two weeks since her last active mission was completed and she was ready to get back out into the field.

About ten minutes later, Annie found herself on point of a mission that was on U.S. soil, apparently the Russians were trying to buy a computer virus off of a well-known all-American hacker whose name had not yet been revealed. Sure, she was excited, but she didn't exactly understand why Joan put her on a case that she knew mostly nothing about. And then it happened.

"The asset that we're trying to acquire will be extremely valuable to the CIA should we successfully turn him," Joan went on, she clicked the button on her remote and as the picture on the screen changed Annie's heart fluttered up to her throat. "His name; August Mica Anderson…"

Suddenly, Annie understood everything.

* * *

_**A/N**_: Wow... Yes this took me five months to put up... possibly six. You have every right to be annoyed, I know I would be!  
The next installment of this fic should be posted within the next two weeks.  
So! I hope to see you guys around. You have all been truly amazing and without you guys and your stand-up support I never would've completed this project!

The sequel will be filled with romance, intrigue, and original characters! Hope to see you all there!

Thank you for reading and Happy Labor Day!

_**MM**_


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